Scabbed Wings
by Cacasenno
Summary: Powerful but alone, Harry refuses to be convinced to return after he sets out to do what he promised with his 7th year. hbp spoilers. LAST CHAP UP! FINISHED!
1. Impossible

**Scabbed Wings**

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Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Powerful but alone, Harry refuses to be convinced to return after he sets out to do what he promised with his 7th year. HBP SPOILERS

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Spoilers Port and Starboard…like I know what I'm talking about 

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Pressing herself closely to the stone wall of the Hog's Head, Ginny had every belief she was finished there and then. She was silent. Three giants, a dozen Dementors, and seven Death Eaters had attacked Hogsmeade during an outing weekend. 

All around her was panic.

Screaming, crying. A small boy next to her was desperately trying to comfort his sister as she lay in the mud next to them. A fourth was hiding with them; he seemed to be in shock.

But Ginny felt oddly in-control. Terrified, yes, but with enough of a mental state to dive into the mud when a curse shattered in her direction.

Lying in the mud, a feeling of complete hopelessness gripped her. A paralyzing pain that seemed to squeeze her heart within her. Tears slid down her cheeks faster and faster. She thought of her family, Ron, Fred and George were among the terrified somewhere… if they were still alive. She thought of the school, the past, the future she wanted. She thought of Harry.

Never had she wanted Harry more. Never had she longed like this.

A Death Eater had broken from the group and had noticed the group near the Hog's Head. He laughed at them, cowering in the mud, wandless and weak. Ginny closed her eyes.

She never expected them to open again.

But they did.

Something fell next to her.

And instead of a Death Eater standing over them chortling, Harry stood straight and impossible.

Impossible…

* * *

It was with a heavy heart and his body numb with anticipation and anxiety that Harry Potter left the Burrow secretly at the twilight of Bill and Fleur's wedding. Even with his mind racing during the day and every inch of him fighting any reason he possessed, he had to admit the ceremony and party had been completely enjoyable. 

As Dumbledore had so graciously promised the Dursleys what seemed like decades ago, Harry returned to Privet Drive at the end of his 6th year. He had not remained though. He had not even stayed till his birthday, as planned, instead leaving as soon he was permitted to go to the Burrow, not two weeks into the summer.

He had poured over every text book he had, tried to remember every lesson he'd been taught, and had even gone out of his way to try and develop Occumency and Wordless Magic since he'd arrived at the Burrow days earlier. He flipped through some of Hermione's books, though this was completely fruitless as he could make neither hide nor hair of some of her subjects and realized after nearly 20 minutes of reading her Runes notes that he was reading them upside down.

Before the sun had risen on July 16th, the day of the wedding, Harry had stashed everything he planned to take in his bag and stowed everything he wasn't neatly- for when others found it. His wand, invisibility cloak, some quills, parchment, an overweight money bag, the guide to Defence Against the Dark Arts he'd once received from Sirius. As it turns out, shrinking a broom can wreck the broom's performance, so he settled for simply securing it diagonally across the bag, so it would sit between the bag and his back.

And, though Harry was utterly distracted all day, he had fun. Bill had healed from his near-werewolf attack and had been looking less like a badly stitched rag doll recently- though Harry privately thought there was something Monster-of-Frankenstein-ish about some of the scars, like his body wasn't a body but composed of many different parts though, his face had healed and only the scars on his neck were readily visible.

Fleur was overjoyed, as was her Veela-mixed family, who had shown up for the wedding. Apparently, they had all the beauty they'd ever need and it meant very little, the 'scars of 'is bravery' as she called them, were much more desirable. Harry swore her bridesmaids spent as much time with the groom as she did.

It was a small wedding, Bill, after all, was barely recovered and still not quite revealed his new look to many people. Harry was grateful for this. He was tired of condolences.

Ron didn't suspect Harry's leaving in the least, and the rest of the Weasleys (minus Percy) were thankfully distracted. Hermione had noticed something over the wedding dinner of incredibly rare steak. She knew he was acting quiet and strange. He also suspected she had seen him looking through her books.

When Harry slipped out just before dessert, she had followed. He went to Ron's room, put on his bag and was putting on his cloak when Hermione entered the room. Harry froze; he hadn't planned to say goodbyes.

'I know where you're going, Harry…I-,' she began.

'Don't bother trying to stop me, Hermione…I've got to.'

'Harry…' Ron's room was getting dark and he couldn't seen her face clearly, as she got closer Harry realized her eyes were lined with tears, 'please…' she pleaded, '…just stay a little longer...don't go like this…'

'Hermione, I can't…I know we all said we'd go together, but I've got to do this alone…you understand.'

'…I'll come…I'll-'

'No,' Harry said a little more sharply then he'd meant to, 'I'm sorry…'

'…I-I-I understand.'

Harry smiled.

'You won't tell anyone?'

'No…of course not…'

'I love you, Hermione,' Harry said.

'I love you too, Harry…just…be careful.'

Harry hugged her; she pressed her face into his shoulder, then kissed him on the cheek.

Harry disappeared under the cloak as Hermione collapsed onto Ron's bed clutching a pillow tightly. Hermione, however, was not the last to notice Harry's departure.

He passed by the table where the Delecours and Weasleys were drinking, singing, and enjoying huge amounts of French wine and English cakes. Ginny was talking to Gabrielle with the most particular expression on her face like a smug annoyance.

It was impossible to resist. He didn't want to say goodbye to her. He didn't want to ask her to wait for him to return but the thought of her going back to Dean or another guy while he was gone was possibly more painful.

He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek, just closely enough for him to feel how warm it was. She had stopped talking and was looking at the place where he stood. She got up, ignoring Gabrielle, and blindly felt Harry's arm.

Though he hadn't meant for her to feel him, he led her away from them, into the thin forest that bordered the back of the Weasley's property. He let the invisibility cloak slide off him and was thankful it was dark, save for the light coming from the party, because he didn't really want her to see him, or to see her face in case she was angry.

'I don't want you to go; I want to be with you-'

'I have to.'

'Why now? You're not even 17 yet! Just let us be happy together for one last summer!'

'I have to go now, or I might not be able to. Ginny, I'm s-'

'Don't you dare tell me you're sorry Harry Potter, don't you dare. You-you are planning to leave me alone and-'

'I want you to be safe. It's better this way!'

'I don't want to be safe! I want to be with you!'

Harry kissed her right then, hard against a tree. She pushed him away in anger… paused, then leapt back to Harry, causing him to stumble back. They ended up in the long grass and soft leaves on the ground.

Harry left that night an hour later, when the moon was out and nearly full. Ginny had gone to sleep and would be even angrier in the morning when she realized he was gone but there was nothing and no one that could stop him.

Harry left that night and did not come back. He did not reappear on his birthday, nor when gloomily, the school year began with Minerva McGonagall as the new Headmistress, Slughorn returned as Potions teacher and yet another wizard (a cousin of McGonagall) appeared to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts.

He was sighted few times during those first two months. The first time at the Ministry only hours after he left the Burrow, to ensure he would not be searched for or assumed kidnapped. Then there was a vast expanse of time followed by when he was thought to have been seen first in Albania, then in Bhopal and London all in the space of one week.

After that, "oddities" and "co coincidence" seemed to occur and usually bad luck befell the Death Eaters. Two were found near death after a duel with an unknown opponent where there was no one to watch. Soon later four giants had taken it upon themselves to rearrange a muggle village, there was a "freak-storm" and each and everyone found itself hit by lightning, and, when they fell, their bodies all happened to land safely in a corn field, an empty football field, a private air strip and the fourth seemed to linger above a hospital for a moment before a "gust of wind" carried it safely to a large garden.

Then there were eye witnesses. A tall, pale, dark haired teenage boy was seen there.

The Daily Prophet quote marks around official Ministry explanations (we believe there was an unusually strong "updraft" repelled a horde of dementors and "snow" carried from nearby mountains seemed to look like Patroni) began to mean _Harry Potter._

Of course, the act didn't last and quickly after Harry showed up and duelled five Death Eaters at once in a street full of wizards, the Ministry of Magic released a statement saying they believed it was Harry Potter. No one seemed to have any idea exactly _how_ Harry was doing it though.

Ginny, Hermione and Ron saw every type of rumour fly about Harry, but the most absurd students (in their opinion) where the ones who needed no justification. These students were many…the ones that never knew Harry to have weaknesses and be flawed saw these events not as surprising and slightly alarming, but as comforting and expected.

And for many reasons, their 7th year did not start off like any other year and was guaranteed not to end like any year previous either.

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'Ginny, you ok?' Harry asked, the words hung in the still air. 

'Harry…' she breathed.

* * *

_AN: R/R everyone (not that I expect many…don't think most of us are finished HBP yet). Believe it or not I actually have a plot worked out for this and a good reason for everything… feel free to add suggestions and so on. Umm…as for the shipping, I think it's HPGW but if there's mass outrage I may be persuaded to change._

_REVIEW puppy eyes…I'm making puppy eyes at you right now…I swear…I really am_

07/18/05- edited grammar_  
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	2. Apologies and Pleas

**Scabbed Wings

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'The hospital wing is full; we have to put them elsewhere!'

'We can't just let them stay in the Entrance Hall.'

'I'll go prepare the Great Hall for them.'

'How many students are injured?'

'Only about a dozen, most of them are just scared. St. Mungo's is sending everyone they can spare to help though; it looks like a few took the brunt of the attack.'

'Only a dozen injured? Looked much worse.'

'Most aren't here yet. But we were lucky the Order got down there quickly.'

* * *

Harry heard the school long before he saw it. Walking up the drive was possibly the worst thing he'd experienced in months, well, no, but it was excruciating. It wasn't that he remembered the school badly; it was that it reminded him how much he still had to do. How little he'd accomplished. How much he'd changed… 

But there was little else he could do. After the attack abruptly ended, Death Eaters apparating away, Dementors vanished into the fog and, all three giants disappeared rather quickly for creatures so large.

Any sense of accomplishment or triumph at ending the damage Harry should have felt was non-existent. He had done nothing of importance, in his mind, only one Death Eater was caught and he was no closer to destroying Voldemort.

But he continued to the castle with the compounding disappointment and enclosing guilt anyway. He did it for three reasons. First, he was helping lead students back up to Hogwarts; many were still shaking with disorientation. Secondly, he needed to help the injured already there. And third, the reason that hung limp in his arms, resting against his chest.

Ginny had promptly passed out moments earlier. Harry was not sure if it was his return or a wayward stunner that had done it; he only knew he wanted to wait till they were safe before waking her. Harry clutched her tighter as he tried to decipher the look in her eyes when she had seen him.

It could have easily been just surprise, but Harry's already-battered heart knew it saw anger and pain as well in her eyes. In her glance. In the first moment they'd seen each other for nearly five months. He hated himself for still loving her. She deserved better. She deserved safety and stability, things Harry could never promise.

Aurors Harry recognized in passing stood at the gates, keeping them open for the stream of students but looking cautious with wands ready. Harry said nothing as he carried Ginny past them. The Aurors looked like they wanted to stop Harry but he didn't want to be approached and they had a job to do.

McGonagall ran down the steps to meet Harry when she saw him with Ginny. Older looking and wary, she stared at Harry for a moment, and then looked to Ginny.

Harry had absolutely no idea what to say. So he said nothing.

'She'll need the hospital wing,' McGonagall whispered in a shaking voice.

'I think she's just passed out,' Harry said without looking at McGonagall.

'It would still be more appropriate for her to be there,' she said openly staring at Harry, 'I'm going to need to talk to you, Harry.'

Harry didn't reply.

The halls of Hogwarts were chaos. Teachers were yelling at students to go to their houses, Aurors in various states of injury checking others for jinxes, curses, and hidden imposters and, because Harry wouldn't be Harry without it, a wide berth, stares, and people outright pointing at him.

He had not socialized much during the last few months for this reason exactly.

When they reached the hospital wing, he laid Ginny down on the first available bed. A mediwitch Harry didn't recognize didn't recognize him either and moved between him and Ginny. She checked her pulse and got out her wand.

Harry looked around at the other students. Some were so young…too young. He knew the way Death Eaters acted: singling out people and torturing, humiliating and degrading them before huge crowds, immobilizing them with fear.

Harry walked to the far end of the hospital wing. There was a 4th year Hufflepuff shaking and bleeding before a distressed mediwitch. His eyes kept sliding in and out of focus. The mediwitch began calling for help as his eyes slid completely out of focus and his chest stopped rising.

Harry placed his hand under the boy's neck. The mediwitch moved to stop him. Harry braced himself for the pain he knew was coming.

_Vigoratus_, he thought. The pain was intense and brief, as it always was. It felt as though the centre of Harry's being was being pierced repeatedly as a faint blue magic coated his hand and was absorbed into the boy's neck. It took only a few moments of this magic for the boy's pain to stop, his eyes to open serenely and then fall back into a deep sleep.

The mediwitch was stunned, as were those watching.

Harry moved to the next bed and repeated the process. The pain was more intense this time, but it was nothing new to him. By the sixth bed, his legs were weak and he had to whisper the spell out loud, his energy began to fail.

He continued. He healed each student. The pain crippling him. His nose began to bleed crimson down his face. Harry didn't stop, he couldn't.

_Only three more,_ he told himself, _don't make it so hard; don't be so weak, it will be your fault if one parent has to learn of a dead child, these injuries are beyond mediwitch healing. _Harry healed them, the hospital wing had become stony silent as they watched him, and he wished they wouldn't. _Ginny…_he could barely stand by the time he reached her. He had been wrong about her simply being stunned; in his receptive state he recognized that now.

He could barely stand, but he put his hand beneath her warm neck.

'Vigoratus,' he whispered weakly.

Pain stabbed him. Exponentially worse then the last injured student. He didn't stop. Her skin became coated with the same blue magic. Harry's vision began to fade as he clutched the bed with his other hand. He saw her eyes open, it was the last thing he saw before darkness closed in on him and he fell slumped over her bed.

* * *

Days after leaving the Burrow, Harry found himself at Godric's Hollow but it was not the place Harry was expecting it to be. However foolishly, whenever Harry thought of the place his parents died he always imagined it twisted with death and dark magic. He imagined a ghostly manor surrounded by haunted ground and for the sun never to reach the ground. 

What he found was possibly more twisted, in that it seemed so placid and peaceful. A large property at the end of a lane, surrounded by an ancient looking stone wall, Godric's Hollow was nestled in a large forest.

The road ended at a large iron gate with the words 'Godric's Hollow' covered in ivy that looked to have been growing much longer then 16 years, possibly hundreds. The gate, however, had been chained shut, rusted tightly, and bound by more ivy. Harry climbed over it easily. The path to the house looked abandoned unkempt and wildflowers were poking through the cracks. Sunlight shone in patches brightly through the trees. Harry found the entire thing disconcerting, as though it was purposely contrasting what was supposed to be there.

The path twisted and a lake became visible in the distance, sparkling and dancing in the bright sunlight. It curved once more and the ruins of a house came into view.

It looked to have once been quite large, though Harry could barely tell from the debris. Stone, brick and beams lay silently on the ground, covered in moss, weeds, wild flowers and partially buried; Harry paused at where he was sure the front door once was.

He stared for a moment. He could feel the magic tingling in the air, as he once had in a cave with Dumbledore. He wondered where he once lay, where his parents' bodies were and why he felt so inexplicably drawn there.

Harry sat in the grass, still staring at the quiet rubble that watched the lake. He didn't know how long he watched it before he was interrupted, it may have been hours.

'Master Harry Potter is returned?'

'Master is, Master is!'

Harry whirled around onto his feet with his wand raised at the sound of new squeaky voices. Two house elves were positively jumping in happiness at the sight of him.

'Master Harry Potter is grown up!' exclaimed one elf, skinny and pretty in elf terms.

'Master Harry Potter,' the other, with an overhanging stomach and larger then normal ears said, appearing to try and calm himself, 'I am Smithy and this,' he gestured to the other elf, 'is Cheshire.'

'…Er…you're _my_ house elves?'

'Yes, sir,' said Cheshire.

'We have been alone for a very long time, waiting for you,' squeaked Smithy.

'Waiting?' Harry said, 'since my parents were here? You've been here since then?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Where have you been staying?' Harry asked, looking at the wrecked house.

'On the property, Master Harry.'

'Would you like us to raise the house, Master Harry?' asked Smithy.

'Raise the house?'

'Godric's Hollow is most ancient and has not been completely destroyed; we could restore it, Master Harry.'

'…Er…ok,' Harry said, though it sounded like it would take a very long time.

He was quite wrong; Harry was thrown a short distance from where he was standing as the wreckage seemed to jump from the ground. Both house elves had their arms raised high above their heads and were making strange hand movements while saying an incantation in unison.

Harry watched from the ground in awe as it took form. Soon an impressive manor stood stronger then it seemed possible in front of the house elves and Harry. He stumbled to his feet. It now looked like water was falling from the roof to the ground but did not puddle. It was washing the dirt and mould from the grey stone and made it shimmer in the sun like the lake.

The whole thing couldn't have taken more then a few minutes before the water fell for the last time then evaporated. The house looked new, though in a very old, small castle-like style. Harry shakily approached the slightly oversized doors.

He looked back at the house elves, both of whom were smiling widely, obviously very proud of themselves.

'Shall we tell you about Godric's Hollow?' asked Smithy.

'Sure,' Harry said, 'why not.'

But he didn't look back at them; he pushed open the doors with surprising ease considering the huge wooden beams they were made of.

'Godric's Hollow was built in the year one-thousand-fifteen by an important wizard of the day. Twenty generations of my family have served here as the manor was passed down through the years.'

Harry found the entrance hall to be cool and bright from large windows. Objects like paintings and statues decorated the rooms though Harry didn't remember seeing any in the wreckage.

'Powerful magic has ensured Godric's Hollow remembers how to stand so it will not be destroyed as long as it has an owner to raise it-'

'But you raised it,' Harry interrupted as he explored a dining room. There was a cabinet at one end with three objects in it. A necklace with a lion on it, an empty crystal bottle and an old wand that looked to have been carved by hand, not smooth like the wands Harry was used to.

'A house elf cannot raise the house without a master's presence, Master Harry-,' Smithy explained.

'What are these?' Harry asked.

'They belonged to the original owner and have been passed down with the manor. The first is the pendant he wore, believed to have the ability to keep him safe from injury. The second is the Agape bottle, which it is said can hold love- though this is quite impossible, but the legend is it can keep it safe. The third is his wand, carved from a Methuselah Tree containing holly and unicorn hair. All a very powerful objects.'

Harry explored the rest of the rooms, disappointed not to find any personal artifacts of his parents. Smithy explained that only the objects of the original owner are remembered by the house so only they were found.

There was one last room for Harry to see. He felt the magic before he entered. He knew it had to be the place where Voldemort killed his mother. He placed his hand on the door, feeling the cold wood, he moved to open it. The house elves gasped, but hid their shock quickly.

He pushed the door in and let it swing open. It was exactly what he was suspecting. This was what he knew he was to see.

The room was black. Like walking into a dark shadow. The walls and window were gnarled and twisted. Dark liquid seeped down the walls to the floor where it pooled. Black thorned vines twisted themselves painfully in the corners and across the ceiling.

Harry didn't step in. He let himself stagger backwards and the door swing shut.

'I-In there?' he asked the house elves.

'When there is magic so dark and an occasion so evil it cannot be changed, the house is confused. The house is trying to destroy what happened in there by destroying the room but the magic lingers and leaves the limbo, Master Potter' Smithy explained quietly.

Harry did not want to ever return to that room. He was suddenly very cold.

'Is there anything else we can do for you, Master Potter?'

'Yes…my parents…their graves…' Harry said, still not looking away from the now-closed door.

'We will take you,' said Cheshire.

Harry got the distinct opinion the house elves were as glad as Harry to get as far away from that room as possible. They led him outside, where the sun was now setting, and down another path.

Through the wood, near a stream, to a small cemetery with ivory white monuments covered in more ivy, Harry noticed many more then just two though. There were dozens, of varying shapes in the small patch of dusk-lit ground.

'The family plot, Master Harry, nine generations of owners here. Lily and James Potter lie at the East end,' he pointed towards two nearby graves.

Harry walked over to them, grateful the elves didn't follow.

_Lily Alice Potter_

_1956 – 1981_

_Twenty five_, Harry thought, _only twenty five, a few years older then he was._

_James Harold Potter_

_1955 – 1981_

James Potter…his father, the man he had thought about more then any other.

The elves had left as Harry felt himself collapse on the ground.

He was silent for a time, then began to speak, '…I-I'm sorry I haven't visited before,' Harry said, wind rustled the trees as it got darker. He felt closer to his parents at that moment then any before.

'I'm just so…' Harry closed his eyes, 'sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for Voldemort coming here, for killing you. I'm sorry for blaming you when I was young for leaving me at the Dursleys. I'm sorry for doubting you last year, Dad; you were right about Snape, about everything. I'm sorry for getting Sirius killed and not being able to help Dumbledore. I'm…I'm…' Harry continued. He said everything he'd ever wanted to say to them. He'd spoke about the worries and questions he had. He told them everything. He let all the guilt he had off his chest.

Somewhere, far beyond the realm of what Harry could see, people listened. Two people, who had been waiting a long time, a third who had joined them not long ago and a fourth who had united with the group most recently.

Harry left Godric's Hollow that night with the house elves, who promised up and down to keep it safe. He left for the next destination on his list, Little Hangleton. He remembered Dumbledore speaking of it and had few other clues to go on, it was worth a try.

The only destination in Little Hangleton he could picture was one he had spent long hours trying not to. A graveyard on a hill overlooking a village.

Harry wasn't even sure he could aparate that night. He felt so drained after talking to his parents and exhausted after traveling. But the fake, locket Horcrux in his pocket pressed against his thigh and reminded him of what he had to do. It had taken Dumbledore months to find each one and Harry was nowhere near the wizard Dumbledore was.

He was filled with a new determination at that thought. His parents died for this, for Harry to defeat Voldemort, as had Dumbledore and Sirius. He had to do it. He walked back to the road under the full moon, listening very carefully for any werewolf-like noises, though Harry really didn't know what that would include.

Once he was far enough away from Godric's Hollow to not be trapped in any wards, he concentrated on the graveyard Voldemort had once kept him prisoner. He let the memories ooze into his head while keeping his thoughts on the graveyard. He paused for a moment. Stupid, really, he knew he was being ridiculous. But…just in case, Harry pulled his invisibility cloak out of his bag and put it on…just in case.

With a loud pop Harry felt the squeezing sensation and apparated to the graveyard.

He went right into a defensive stance, pulling his wand out, but the graveyard was completely deserted…really stupid…really. Harry looked around. It was the same as he remembered it, broken tombstones, and a derelict look.

Harry put his wand away but kept his invisibility cloak on. Even if it was empty, Little Hangleton was still an area Voldemort could be staying and he would know it much better then Harry.

He left the graveyard and headed for the village, his hand jumping to his wand at every small noise. The streets were quiet and Harry didn't know where to go. It was a small town but he still didn't fancy knocking on every door until he either found the Riddle Mansion. He thought he'd start there because Dumbledore had already been to the shack Marvolo lived in and surely he would have noticed two Horcruxes, if they'd been there.

There was a small bar at the end of a street with its lights on. Harry peered in the window, there were two old men sitting at the bar drinking whiskies and watching the news on a small, black and white television.

When he was sure no one was watching, Harry slipped from beneath his invisibility cloak and stashed it in his bag, he adjusted his wand so the muggles wouldn't be able to see it and entered the bar. No one seemed to notice him at first.

The bartender was drying mugs with a dirty towel.

'What can I get you?' he asked Harry as he approached the bar.

'I need to know where the Riddle house is,' Harry said carefully, fully aware the old men were now watching him.

'What would you be wanting there? No one around anymore,' said the bartender.

One of the old men had started laughing loudly, he shook his friend.

'Frank was right after all,' he laughed.

'What?' said the other old man.

'Remember, he said it was a dark haired kid who did in the Riddles,' he told his friend, 'kid,' he said to Harry, 'you're 50 years late.'

'Walter, leave him alone,' said the bar tender, 'the Riddle house is three streets that way,' he pointed, 'you'll know it when you see it, huge and falling apart.'

'Thanks,' Harry said beginning to leave.

'What's your name?' called the bar tender after him.

'Harry P- Black, Harry Black.'

It was the only name he could think of that couldn't cause anyone to be in trouble. All the Blacks were dead.

'Right…Harry Black, you cause any trouble and we know who you are.'

Harry walked through the quiet cobblestone streets. The fog he'd become so accustomed to the summer previously coated the streets and made the stone slippery. Harry walked cautiously, his hand on his wand, remaining in the street lights when he could.

The bartender was right. It was absurdly obvious when he reached the Riddle house. It was obviously empty, with the lawn in disarray and many broken windows. Harry pushed open the gate and walked towards it, though a part of him screamed not to.

He reached the door-

CRACK

Harry spun around. He swore he'd heard something or someone. He saw a cat on a garbage can silhouetted in the distance. It looked larger then McGonagall's Animagus.

He opened the door and walked into the dark house with no idea where he was going or what he was doing. There was a shuffling sound somewhere ahead. Harry pulled out his wand and moved in closer, not daring to breath.

One room had a silver light glowing out the door. Harry's scar didn't hurt and he was not planning to run, that left him with two options, go in, or don't. He took a deep breath and slid in the room.

The light was coming from someone's wand, someone digging through the books on the shelves, opening them then tossing them over his shoulder as though looking for something. He was tall, with long dark hair and shabby robes.

'I was wondering if you were going to be here, Dumbledore,' said the man in a voice familiar to Harry. He didn't seem to mind at all being disturbed, 'we've been following the same clues, I think. I already got the locket, if you didn't know.'

The man turned around to face Harry, 'You're not Dumbledore…' he said in shock.

'Sirius…?' Harry breathed, but the moment he said it he knew he was wrong. While this man strongly resembled Sirius in every way, it wasn't him.

'My brother. You're Harry Potter, aren't you?'

'Your brother? That's impossible,' Harry raised his wand, 'you can't be-'

'Regulus Black, at your service.'

* * *

Ginny woke up in the hospital wing either very late at night, or very early in the morning. She was completely disoriented but felt oddly refreshed. The first thoughts that came to her were of the ridiculous notion that Harry had returned. Impossible. Though not entirely uncommon recently. 

Then…something new happened…she couldn't figure out how to convince herself it was all a dream. It wasn't. She remembered Harry, then waking in the hospital wing with him holding her and falling asleep again.

Ginny looked to her right, a row of sleeping students lay peacefully in the dark room. She looked to her left; one man with black, chin length hair in a long cloak was standing and silently packing a bag. He looked like he had just woken up and was about to leave.

'Harry?' she said quietly, her voice not entirely reliable.

Harry jumped slightly and turned to her.

'You can't be leaving…Harry…you're not…' she said weakly.

'Are you ok?' he asked, turning his back to her and continuing packing.

'Harry,' she said, 'you- you can't just leave!' she said getting some energy back and some power in her voice, 'you can't abandon me again!'

'Ginny…I never want to abandon you, I want you to be safe, I-'

She struggled to sit up, Harry approached her bed and she grabbed his wrist tightly.

'Harry, I have forgiven you for whatever stupid, idiotically righteous reason you left us last time, but if you leave here tonight, right now, I-I, I can't handle that. I-' she trailed off, feeling the tears burning.

He couldn't leave. He couldn't leave already after she had spent every night of every day thinking of him during the past four months. He couldn't hurt her like this again. She saw Harry's face in the faint bluish light of the moon outside the window. He looked pained, so much more damaged then she'd ever seen him. She'd never seen someone so strong look so fragile before.

'I have things to take care of, to go to-'

'You don't have to go anywhere right now. Stay here.'

'Ginny, I-'

'Harry, I love you. I've never loved anyone like you and no one's ever hurt me so badly…you can't do it again,' Ginny whispered, tears spilling over her eyes.

Harry looked at her for a moment.

'I love you too.'

He touched her face and gently wiped her tears away with his calloused thumb. Ginny trembled in his touch and her heart began to pound so hard it was almost painful. She took his hand in both of hers and kissed it.

'Stay…'

Harry kissed her. She nestled into his arms as he lay back on her pillow. She clutched him tightly as they slept, laying her head on his slowly rising and falling chest, safely enclosed in his arms. They thought of only each other. Not the uncertain future, or Death Eaters, or Voldemort or even the trouble to await Harry in the morning. Ginny slept soundly in the warmth of his arms and Harry was close to content for the first time in a long time as he felt her heart beat between them and her soft breath on his neck, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

_AN: That's all for today, folks. I'd love some reviews, that would make me insanely happy. Hopefully the next chapter will begin to tie some things together and it'll all begin making sense. I'm glad everyone is happy with the HPGW ship because it'd be more work then I'd like to do to change it now that it's in the cannon. _

_R/R, and I'll love you forever, Sirius is making puppy eyes at you this time on my behalf._

-EtherealDarkness, _my first review! And so soon after I posted. I was pretty depressed by HBP too even though I absolutely loved that book, probably my fav or 2nd fav in the series. Thanks for reviewing._

-Shang Warrior Phoenix, _I hope this was soon enough. It will be staying HPGW because I like it, you guys all like it, JKR likes it and I trust JKR even if we disagree on events that rhyme with Bumbledore's Nurder._

-Morbane, _Thanks for the review. You're definitely right and when I get out of my lazy streak I'll edit down the wedding and dive into the grammar, maybe by the time chapter three is up. Hope you liked this chapter too._

-tarnished, _thanks!_

-Munku JGSPTV_, Thanks for reviewing and not giving up on me :-)_

-Goyana, _Thank you. I'm hoping for this to end up as a proper fic when it's complete, but I haven't totally finished the plan so I don't know how long it will end up being. I hope this was soon enough._

-Lady of Masbolle, _Thank you, hopefully the 'will you continue' question has already been answered by this chappie smiles_

-Goddessa39, _I love those stories too! But my puppy eyes are nothing to be taken lightly, lol. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Gopha gurl, _It's definitely going somewhere. Parts of HBP definitely broke my heart but I love that book so much. I hope in bk7 they get back together, they're definitely safe in mine though. Thanks for the review!_

-MioneMalfoy17, _Harry **is**__Luke Skywalker, definitely. I hope JKR will let Ginny force herself back on Harry because he deserves a little happiness, even if he is just trying to keep her safe. Thank you!_

-Zillie, _I hope they get back together too. Actually before HBP I was never a huge shipper (didn't really care about any ships) but now I'm completely in support of HPGW, they just seemed so natural together. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Paige2310, _Don't worry, I won't change the ship. I've been pleasantly surprised by how attached everyone seems to be to HPGW now. Thank you for reviewing!_

-Nine Tailed Vixen,_ I agree, JKR will have some job putting in any romance if the next book is going to be like it seems. I think Harry needs a little love in his life though, lol._

-VioletFlower, _Yep, it was intentional. I'm very thankful for your nit picking because I hate doing it myself. I'll fix that sentence (it was one I had rewritten so many times the words lost all meaning, lol.) Thanks for the review!_

-Clumsyfaery, _I loved HBP, only another 2 years. Till then we can all just live on fan fics. Thanks for the review!_

-Ken, _Incredibly odd, hopefully my explanation (coming soon) will make sense. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Praesul Femella, _Thanks, don't worry, the ship is safe._

-Eilisan, _Thank you, I hope you check out this chapter!_

_-_RonHermione13, _It will definitely stay HPGW. Apparently the mass outrage only occurred when I suggested another ship, no one liked that idea it seems. Thanks you!_

-Spike Blade, _I clocked in at around 11 hours myself. I wish I could have made it last two years but that's less then a page a day and the thought is too painful! Thank you._

-Wavefunction, _Thank you!_

-Randomidiot, _Thank you! Don't send the voices, they sound scary. Wait, I hear them coming runs and hides_

-Danuschka, _Thanks you!_

-Chyp, _Thanks!_

-GCNFGCHICK02, _It will stay HPGW, I was oddly emotional after HBP too so you're not alone. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Mookiemoooo, _Thank you so much! _

-Ta1nted, _Thank you for reviewing! Harry became a "warrior" not without costs, but you'll see that soon smiles mysteriously_

-Hrtbreaker, _Thank you! I've been scouring for them too, then I got frustrated and decided just to write my own, lol, but you probably already knew that._

-Waffleshouse, _lol! I'm pretty happy too. Seems everyone is in the same boat, only raging that I might dare change the ship. _

-Mr. Set, _Thank you. Her reaction will really set in during the next chapter but there was a little bit of it in this one. I hope this one was up soon enough._

-Ginny05,_ Thank you!_

-Sir Chris, _Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter._

-SpiffySquee, _I hope you liked this chapter too. I personally think I might be treading too close to the fluffy side of the line, but I'll leave that to the reviewers to tell me. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Lady Arewen of Rivendell, _Thank you! I hope this was soon enough._

-Sagitbam, _Thanks for reviewing. I hope this was soon enough._

_-_Neopyro, _Thank you._

07/18/05- edited that crazy imposter Regelus out of the story and put Regulus in

07/26/05- edited a line break in


	3. Shame and Revulsion

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

Harry felt Ginny stir and pressed his finger to her lips before she could say anything. She looked at him silently confused. They were still lying in Ginny's hospital bed, but before the morning sun had started to stream in and the Mme Pomfrey did an early check on the beds, he had covered them in his invisibility cloak.

He did not regret staying. Harry didn't feel any unhappiness in remaining as he felt Ginny on him; he did, however, realize the exact implications of his actions that morning as he hid with her and listened to the conversations being carried out around them.

'Did anyone check the Gryffindor tower yet?' ask Professor Slughorn.

'Yes, the brother and Miss Granger aren't in on this one,' said Professor McGonagall, Harry had been listening to them search for him and Ginny for more then an hour and she seemed sincerely disappointed but her voice had a slight edge of worry to it.

'This is absurd. Completely ridiculous,' said Mme Pomfrey, 'my patients are not supposed to disappear in the middle of the night, 'Mister Potter was not well last night and shouldn't be wandering.'

'The aurors in Hogsmeade are keeping a lookout but are certain no one could have came in and got them,' McGonagall said, 'and I've got some house elves on it too.'

'Well this is just fantastic,' said a wizard Harry didn't recognize, 'we finally manage to rope him in and he disappears in the middle of the night.'

'"Rope him in" might be a strong term. The way I heard it, he came up here on his own then overexerted himself and passed out. We had very little to do with Harry Potter's short stay here,' said Slughorn.

'Which reminds me,' said the wizard Harry didn't recognize, 'do we have any idea exactly how he did that yet?'

McGonagall shook her head.

'Never in all my training have I seen anything like that,' said Mme Pomfrey, 'shouldn't have been possible.'

'Well, if we find him we can ask him,' said McGonagall, 'well there's not much we can do just standing here. I'll go owl the Ministry and tell them we've officially lost Harry _and_ a student so they shouldn't bother showing up to talk to him.'

The teachers left, Mme Pomfrey remained for a moment checking the other students, then left, muttering something. Ginny sat straight up, letting the cloak fall off her shoulders. Harry watched her carefully for a moment before sitting up too, in an act of defeat. It was twice in a space of 12 hours she had managed to defeat him.

'Harry,' she looked directly at him with her sad brown eyes, 'what's going on… please tell me.'

He wished she didn't ask that. He glanced away.

'Harry…what are you so ashamed of? You haven't done anything wrong…' she said softly, erroneously.

'…I-I,' Harry looked around at the sleeping students, 'not here. Let's just go some where- some where else,' he said meeting her gaze once again, 'I just don't want anyone to see me.'

'Hagrid's? The Common Room?' Ginny asked, tucking her messy hair behind her ear and staring at him confused.

The mention of "Hagrid" struck a chord with Harry. He felt even worse then he usually did, and that was saying something. He had no idea how Hagrid was and Harry knew he should have been there, especially after the year Hagrid had had: not signing up for Care of Magical Creatures, Aragog dieing, Dumbledore dieing, his house burning down…

'I don't know if I can face Hagrid,' Harry responded.

'He's away; I think his house is empty.'

Harry nodded. They left the hospital wing and Harry disappeared back under the invisibility cloak. Ginny didn't, but avoided crowded hallways anyway. Though, from what they did hear, the school was buzzing. It wasn't tight and anxious, as Harry would expect after the attack, but oddly triumphant and elated as they spoke about Harry's return. They apparently did not yet know he was once again missing.

There was one horrible moment when Harry passed a group of 3rd years, one of whom muttered: 'I just feel so much safer and even Mom isn't as protective as usual. It's just like having Dumbledore back in the castle to protect us.'

Harry nearly fell over after hearing that. They shouldn't compare him to Dumbledore, ever. It was terrible, bizarre and felt immoral. He could have so easily left Ginny as she walked, her not being able to see him, but he didn't. The bond that forced him to stay terrified him because he knew it was wrong to love Ginny.

Thankfully enough, no one stopped them on the way across the grounds; the December snow had fallen overnight and covered the ground and discouraged students leaving their warm, cosy common rooms. And Hagrid's cabin (now sporting new-looking beams and a repaired ceiling) was completely empty. They let themselves in and Harry drew the curtains while Ginny sat down at the table.

He was pleased to see everything burnt had been repaired or replaced. Harry had been torturing himself with the thought of Hagrid sitting alone, soot covered in the ruins of his house grieving Dumbledore. He looked around, examining the cabin and searching for anyone who could be eavesdropping before his eyes rested on Ginny.

She looked scared.

_She should, _thought Harry, _you shouldn't be allowed to be alone with her…nothing good can come of it._

'…I'm sorry…' Harry said, sitting down on Hagrid's bed at the other side of the cabin.

'But Harry, _why_?' Ginny said, 'what have you done? I...I don't know what you're so guilty about. You've saved so many people, just yesterday you saved students and townspeople and order mem-'

'Stop,' Harry interrupted her, 'don't say that…'

She got up and walked over to where he sat on Hagrid's bed, she sat down beside him. She stared at his profile but Harry couldn't bring himself to look at her.

Only a moment before the door opened, Harry realized someone was coming. He cursed mentally for his slow reflexes, he had to do better, he couldn't let his guard down.

It was Remus Lupin who entered, tailed by Ron and Hermione. Harry froze, Hermione didn't, she ran across the cabin and flung her arms around Harry. He considered pushing her away for a moment, but couldn't do that either, he relaxed and hugged her back.

Ron and Lupin strode over.

'Harry…you…' Ron said lamely.

Hermione let him go. Harry looked from her, to Ron, to Lupin.

'Dobby saw you, came and told me,' Lupin said, 'these two happened to be over at the time.' Harry didn't bother ask why Lupin was nearby, it didn't matter.

'I thought you were going to take us with you,' Ron said smiling. He was the only one smiling though.

'I thought it would be better like this, it's my problem, and no one else should have to deal with it anyway,' Harry said, more to Lupin then to Ron.

'How're you doing it?' Ron asked, 'I mean, we all knew you were powerful, but some of the stuff I've heard seems impossible.'

'I think we'd all like to know that,' said Lupin, looking sombre.

Harry was silent. It was one of those inexplicable moments where the only question in his head was "what if" and he wondered, as he often did, if any of this would be happening, if he would be this miserable, if he had never met Regulus Black.

* * *

'Regulus Black was a Death Eater and killed by Voldemort a long time ago,' Harry said keeping his wand steady and trained on the impostor.

'Not _quite_ killed, very close though,' he turned back to the books, 'is Dumbledore with you? I could really use some help with this.'

'With what?' Harry asked.

'Horcruxes, say,' he turned to face Harry, 'you'd probably do just fine. Do you know anything about Horcruxes?'

'Wait! You said it was you who got the locket! Where is it?'

'Didn't Dumbledore tell you all this? I would have thought if he was taking you along…oh well, never mind. The locket is probably safe-'

'Where? What do you mean "probably,"' Harry asked the impostor.

He turned away from Harry, 'Well…it's out of my possession. I didn't account my brother hiding the house from me-'

'The locket is at Grimmauld Place?' Harry asked.

'I assume, unless my dear brother has moved it. I haven't been able to get in lately.'

'Where is it there?'

'I left it in a cabinet, I believe. You don't know where it is, do you? Wait- I suppose you aren't the secret keeper anyway. Oh well…when Dumbledore gets here…'

Harry combed his memory. There _was_ a locket there when they were cleaning out the cabinet. He remembered it! The locket no one could open… He couldn't remember the markings on it but holding it in his hand was so vivid…it had to be.

He felt his heart sink. Dumbledore was so close to it all along… they didn't need to leave that night… he didn't need to die…

'Dumbledore is dead, tell me who you are,' Harry ordered.

The man froze. Harry could tell he had stopped flipping through the books and slowly turned around, his face looking more like Sirius's then ever.

'…Dead? It can't be…'

'Sirius is too, tell me who you are.'

'Sirius…no…'

'Who are you?' Harry said, beginning to get frustrated with the man who had apparently been living under a rock for the past few years.

'How…how did this happen?'

'Tell me who you are and I'll tell you,' Harry said.

'Regulus Alphard Black. I was a Death Eater and Voldemort nearly killed me but…'

'But what?'

'But I managed to escape. Severus Snape helped me…I was nearly completely stripped of my powers in the process though-'

Harry gritted his teeth at the mention of Snape, 'Where have you been for the past 17 years? Has Snape been helping you then too?'

'I-I couldn't do magic, I was too weak. I don't remember what happened…I remember Snape taking me somewhere…then waking up two years ago when I felt the Dark Mark burn…I don't know what happened before that. I thought at first Voldemort's power was absolute then I heard what had happened to him when you were a baby and realized he must have come back. I thought he had only one Horcruxe and I had destroyed it…but I think there were more. That's what I've been doing for the past two years. How did they die? Dumbledore and Sirius.'

'Dumbledore thought there must be six Horcruxes also. He went to destroy the locket and was weakened while trying to get it and was killed by Snape after that.'

'No…'

'Sirius died fighting Death Eaters at the ministry.'

'Who…who killed him?'

'Bellatrix Lestrange,' Harry didn't know why he was telling him all this. He looked so much like Sirius; he couldn't help but trust him.

'Bella…she- she wouldn't.'

Harry didn't reply. Personally, he thought Bella was without a conscience and this man, Regulus it seemed, was wasting his energy trying to sympathize or understand her. Same with Snape. Anyone being helped by Snape couldn't be a decent person.

'Everything's changed…everything…my brother…he…You'll have to help me,' said Regulus finally, 'you can lower your wand too. I can't do anything. I don't ever bother carry a wand anymore,' he started laughing mirthlessly at this, 'funny. After all the careful breeding and pure blooded nonsense, I end up like a squib or muggle.'

'Yeah, just hilarious,' Harry said sarcastically, not lowering his wand, 'what do you mean "help you?" I don't help Death Eaters.'

'I was a Death Eater. I want to destroy Voldemort as much as you do. We're on the same side. We need each other.'

'I don't need you,' but even as Harry was saying it, he wasn't sure. He trusted the man because he trusted Sirius and regretted not showing it to him more.

'You don't know everything I've learnt during these years and I can't do the magic needed to destroy Voldemort. We need each other.'

'I know what the other Horc-'

'The cup? I've already got that too. I've got the cup and locket. I heard rumour of a book or diary that I'm trying to find now. I also believe there's a ring that I haven't been able to find. There are two more after that, which I have been researching.'

'Don't bother searching for the diary; I destroyed that a long time ago. Dumbledore destroyed the ring last year.'

Regulus stopped going through the bookshelves.

'Are you sure? That would leave only two more.'

'I'm sure.'

He smiled widely for the first time. 'The order isn't completely useless after all.'

'I don't need you help.'

'You'll see it soon enough.'

* * *

Bellatrix Lestrange was an ugly woman. Physically, she had inherited Black family genes that guaranteed her height, hair and elegant face, which even Azkaban didn't manage to completely destroy. However, she was still a repulsive, sadistic witch- a plus in the Death Eater world.

At this moment, however, she was just an ugly woman trying to get a good night's sleep so she would be rested and ready for whatever the Dark Lord had planned for her morning. She was staying at her old home, after, of course, throwing the new owners out, and she was quite angry at them for changing the décor of her bedroom. She supposed if she had kept them alive a few well directed 'crucios' would help them understand the pain she felt trying to sleep while staring at pale pink walls.

She turned over in bed and began to stare out the window. The leaves on the trees had all but fallen off as October ravaged the branches. Better like this. She reminded herself, trees were much prettier when they looked like they were nearly dead. Still, she suppressed a shiver; cold weather always reminded her of Azkaban.

The clock chimed somewhere nearby. She shut her eyes. There was a noise. She opened her eyes. Somewhere downstairs, someone had entered her house. It couldn't be Rodolphus; he was out on assignment for the rest of the week. Voldemort wouldn't come to her, he'd simply summon her, no other Death Eater would bother sneaking in through the ground floor, she had a fireplace connected to all of there's through a secure floo network right in her bedroom.

She got out of bed and retrieved her wand from her night stand. Bella crept from the bedroom and down the hall completely naked, her bare feet soft on the wood floor avoiding the creaky areas.

Bella paused at the bottom of the stairs; she heard voices coming from the other side of the doorway and focused her energy on listening to their fuzzy conversation.

'Where are we?'

'I told you I had a surprise for you,' said an excited voice that Bella vaguely recognized but couldn't place.

'What is it?'

'I thought this would be a good way to test out everything you've learned and see if the Cruxes worked,' said the voice Bella recognized, she readied her wand and had curses on her lips.

'What do you mean?'

'This is the house of my dear cousin; I thought we'd have some fun.'

'Bellatrix? What? We can't, Regulus.'

'No,' Bella whispered. It was Regulus's voice but he was dead, she'd seen him die.

'Don't you want revenge?' said Regulus.

'But-'

'Don't you hate her?'

'I-'

'Don't you trust me?' Regulus asked his companion.

There was a pause.

'Yes, I trust you.'

'Perfect, let's find her, you sensing anything?'

'I don't know, I-'

'Harry! Concentrate! Seriously, if you can't do this, Voldemort will eat you alive, believe me, I know.'

_Harry_, Bella wondered, _he couldn't mean 'Harry Potter'…could he?_

There was a pause.

'She's heard us,' said Harry's voice, 'she's listening to us.'

'Bella,' Regulus said in a singsong voice, 'come out, come out…you're dear cousin is here to see you…to say hello.'

Bella could have laughed. He sounded crazier then she was. Crazier then any of the Azkaban Death Eaters, loyal Death Eaters, were. And he'd brought Potter? How much better could this get? Regulus was a decent wizard but had gone completely insane (if he even was a wizard, he had to be a ghost or something) and Potter was still a kid. A very valuable kid.

'Belle, come on, don't hide, I just want to say hello,' Regulus said.

Bella thought for a moment, she couldn't kill the kid, or ruin him too badly. She would have to choose what to do very carefully.

'Regulus, I don't want to-'

'Crucio,' Bella said rounding the corner, she saw the jet of red light leave her wand and hit Harry, but he didn't fall, he didn't flinch, 'crucio!' she tried again, and failed once more, Harry blocking it, 'CRUCIO!'

'Harry!' Regulus yelled, whom Bella clearly saw was solid and live.

'Cru-'

Harry destroyed the curse before it left her wand. Her wand leapt from her hand and flew into his. Regulus could barely stand up, he was laughing so hard.

'Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella, couldn't even put on some damn clothes?' Regulus laughed.

Bella was now feeling slightly anxious. She was disarmed and they could tell she wasn't hiding an extra wand anywhere. Potter put her want in his back pocket and his hand was steady though his face was unsure.

'Come on Harry, what have I taught you?' Regulus said, beginning to get angry, 'has all this been for nothing? Do you not remember what she did to Sirius?'

'Get out!' Bella yelled, 'both of you! Get out now! Get out now or you'll be sorry!'

'Right, Bella, we're shaking,' Regulus said, 'Harry, do it now.'

'This feels wr-' Harry began.

'Don't you want to destroy Voldemort?'

'Yes.'

'Then you must start by destroying her! Do you trust me?'

'Yes.'

Bella subtly opened a drawer behind her while listening to them. She felt around, she knew there was a knife somewhere; she felt the blade under her finger. She pulled the knife out and flung it as hard as she could at Potter.

Potter raised his wand and swung it before the knife hit him, the knife turned in midair and flew towards her, sinking straight into her chest. Bella's last breath never left her body and slowly she fell to the ground.

Blood erupted in great spurts from the wound. Bella tried to lift her hand but it flopped aimlessly and then finally rested.

Bella's eyes had closed, but if they been open, she would have seen Harry's face turn paper white and Regulus laugh even harder. She would have seen Regulus pick her up by her throat and stare into her lifeless eyes while Harry dropped his wand in disgust.

Had Bella still been able to know her surroundings, she would have heard Regulus say: 'Killed her already? I thought we'd have some fun with her first. Oh well, she'll still be interesting dead.'

And at that moment, she would have seen Harry run as far and as fast as he could before apparating away.

She would have seen the moment Harry realized his companion of the last few months, who had taught him and trained him and gave him a gift beyond comprehension, was, in fact, not his Godfather and the trust he felt for him was never earned.

If Bella wasn't lying dead on the floor at his feet, she would have seen the look in Harry's emerald eyes when he became truly terrified and registered seeing the revulsion he usually reserved for Voldemort in himself.

* * *

_AN: Argh! Finished! Darker then usual, I know, but the genre is angst and it is only going to get angstier. Just so you know I'm not copping out on telling where Regulus was for the last few years, it's coming soon. _

Ginny05- _I know there's more to the story on the Snape issue, but I'm not completely sure yet. Thanks for the review._

Jena Rink – _Thanks for reviewing! I love the RAB theory but JKR might be trying to throw us off, weirder things have happened:)_

fernnu- _I'm not very happy about Ririus's Nurder either:)_

Shang Warrior Phoenix – _Thanks for reviewing. I promise, an excuse for Regulus jumping out of a plot hole is coming soon._

reimanr06- _Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you don't think my HPGW is too repulsive._

Lara1786- _Thanks, although I didn't do too much romance or explaining in this chapter. They'll be a proper explanation and some HPGW in the next one. _

Pink-Charmed-One- LOL, YOU MIGHT NOT BE TYPING FROM AN ASYLUM BUT I AM! THANKS!

RonniekinzLuvr- _Thanks for reviewing. I started planning this about 10 minutes after finishing, that book was so great I couldn't stand the thought of another 2 years without Harry so I got started on this._

zanbato – _I'm not sure if RAB is actually Regulus Black but it's a popular theory. I gave him the middle name Alphard because (if I recall correctly) that's their uncle, the one who left Sirius some money and was removed from the family tree._

kîan – _Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter._

HP-Magic- _Thanks! I'll definitely be trying to put everyone in. I love the NTRL storyline (surprising because I never really cared about them separately) so I might try to add some of that later._

Ta1nted- _There's a reason Harry's getting so powerful but you'll have to wait one or two more chapters for that. Thanks for reviewing._

Jaina Sanri- _Thanks!_

Honey P- _Thank you._

ray1- _Thank you. HPGW is starting to grow on me, I didn't used to like it much either._

Mystical Music- _I like Ginny, but I agree with you about many other HBP stories right now. I like the idea of Harry going out on his own. Thanks for reviewing._

SpiffySquee- _Thank you. I hope this chapter was ok even if there wasn't much HPGW._

GCNFGCHICK02- _Thanks for reviewing. Regulus seems so perfect for RAB but weirder things have happened, maybe it will end up being Rupert "Axebanger" Brookstanton._

ForgottenDreamsUnshedTears- _Lol. I don't mind yaoi or slash either but there won't be much in this story (I think…)_

HeatherGranger13- _Thank you._

hphotshot5- _Thank you. I hope you liked this chapter._

A Phantom Moon- _Thank you. I ended up picking mine up at midnight too. I hope you liked this chapter._

xenizo- _It will stay HPGW and I promise I will explain about Regulus soon. Thanks for reviewing!_

Remmy Wolf- _I'm angry at Snape too…he'll show up soon. Thank you for reviewing._

shadowdragonblade- _Thanks. I hope you liked this one._

snuffles007- _Thank you. I'm doing a lot with Regulus Black because I think this theory is really interesting. I hope you liked this chapter._

spike blade- _Thanks!_

Danuschka- _Thanks, it will definitely get clarified properly._

chyp- _Thanks!_

Mr. Set- _Yep, here he isn't quite dead. Thanks for reviewing!_

la mort- _There will be A LOT of Ron and Hermione in the next chapter. I'm glad you like (and can understand) this story. I hope you liked this chapter._

Eagle-Eyes- _Thank you. I'm writing this to help ease my own addiction though, lol._

Aurora – _Thank you for reviewing. I hope you liked this chapter._

gryffindorgal805- _Thank you for R/Ring. I know it's pretty confusing and seriously disjointed because I'm jumping around the time line. I hope it alls sharts making sense soon.  
_

AllieSkittllez- _Thank you for reviewing. I corrected the 'Regelus'/ 'Regulus' problem right after I read your review. The funny thing is I actually went through the trouble of looking up the spelling and I still managed to misspell it, lol._

EosRaven- _I got mine on the 16th too but I was so unhappy that it would be another two years till book 7 I got started on this right away. I corrected the Regelus to Regulus in the previous chapter too. Thanks for reviewing!_

Athelas- _Thank you, and I agree with you about Snape._

Camron –_ LOL, thank you so much. Hopefully I won't stop writing it because I'm really enjoying it right now._

goddessa39- _Thanks for reviewing. I hope you liked this chapter too. Godric's Hallow will be coming in handy soon. Regulus…well…he's not a nice guy, lol._

_REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW  
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	4. Confessions

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

Hermione was tense on the rough, wooden chair. She exchanged a glance with Lupin as Ron jumped headfirst into deciphering Harry. Though she was anxious about his lack of tact, Harry clearly being sensitive about saying anything, she had decided against saying anything as her own curiosity got the best of her.

'How're you doing it? I mean, we all knew you were powerful, but some of the stuff I've heard seems impossible,' Ron had asked. Hermione bit her tongue; she didn't want to press him into saying anything he didn't want to.

'I think we'd all like to know that,' Lupin said darkly.

Harry looked nervous; he glanced to the curtain-hidden windows then paused for a moment. Hermione realized how amazing it was that he could battle Death Eaters without the blink of an eye but seemed almost angry and somewhat ashamed when he was asked what he had been doing and how. She also noticed for the first time, he wasn't wearing his glasses.

It couldn't have been that bad, she rationalized, this was Harry after all. She'd known Harry for years and also knew his emotions and liability gauge were somewhat skewed after years of living with the Dursleys.

'…It doesn't really matter though, does it?' Harry said finally, his eyes resting with Hermione's. Ginny had slipped her hand into his.

'Harry, we're your friends, there's nothing you could do that would cause us to turn against you,' Ginny said. Hermione got the distinct impression Ginny had been thinking about how to phrase her words.

'Sure,' said Harry, cracking a smile. Hermione looked at Ron, who was completely puzzled. 'I bet there was a time you could have said that to Peter,' Harry said to Lupin.

'You're not Peter,' Lupin said flatly, 'you never good be. Peter was always a dangerous, deceiving person. You're not.'

Harry looked up at Lupin. This seemed to comfort him immensely and the wall Hermione could feel around Harry dissolved.

'Alright…So what have you been up to lately?'

'Harry…' Hermione began.

'Come on. Then I'll talk, I promise,' Harry said. Possibility because Harry always was unknowingly charming or just because she was so happy to see the new intense-Harry disappear for a moment, she decided it would be best to tell him everything.

'The school reopened because there was a public outcry at the idea of it closing. Most seem more afraid of Hogwarts closing then staying open. But the ministry now has aurors stationed here and in Hogsmeade- but you already knew that,' Hermione said.

'Slughorn came back teaching Potions and The Other Professor McGonagall came to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts-' Ginny began.

'McGonagall's cousin? Is he any good?' Harry asked.

'He's alright. He mostly teaches us practical stuff in case of Death Eater attacks and stuff we might be able to use. He used to be an auror but I don't think he has much hope for us,' Ginny continued.

'He's depressing,' Ron said, 'thinks we'll all die if we aren't in the company of a ministry-trained auror.'

'Sam's a good man. He's just had too much experience seeing civilians completely unable to defend themselves against Death Eaters. They learn not to trust that anyone can do anything themselves,' said Lupin.

Hermione had been disappointed that Lupin didn't get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job but werewolves were being treated particularly maliciously recently because of the rise in attacks and it was hard enough for him to simply be living in Hogsmeade. Werewolves were a real threat recently, bite numbers had doubled, and Lupin had to live very quietly or literally face a torch yielding mob.

'Anyway,' Ginny continued, 'most classes are like that now. Survival stuff. I think that's the real reason it reopened, to teach us to survive, not get N.E.W.Ts or O.W.Ls.'

'Even McGonagall isn't giving written tests anymore,' said Ron.

'McGonagall's a decent Headmistress. She seems really distracted and stressed out though,' Ginny said, 'Slughorn is head of Slytherin now. The Slytherins-'

'It's great!' said Ron.

Hermione shot Ron a dirty look.

'They're being treated really badly-'

'Finally getting what they deserve-' Ron said.

'They're not all bad,' Hermione interrupted. Though Hermione had always avoided being alone with a Slytherin, she knew some Slytherins were suffering just as badly with Voldemort back and wanted nothing more then for him to be destroyed.

'But most of them are-'

'No, they aren't! I saw-'

'Malfoy let-'

'Malfoy,' Lupin stopped their argument, 'isn't the only Slytherin. Some Slytherins do have Death Eater ties, but so do some Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and, yes Ron, Gryffindors. We're all on the same side.'

They were quiet for a moment. Ron looked slightly upset but Hermione didn't care. He needed to grow up and realize things weren't simply good or bad.

'They've started dating, in case you couldn't tell,' Ginny said. Hermione blushed but a smile tugged at her lips and any annoyance with Ron was forgotten. She was pleased to see Harry was smiling too.

'Finally,' Harry said, breaking another silence.

'Romilda started a Harry Potter fan club,' Ginny said, changing the subject.

'And she keeps trying to poison Ginny,' Ron said.

'She doesn't?' Harry asked.

'Not fatally. She thought you might come back if I got sick or was in trouble,' Ginny said.

'She was right,' Harry said to Ginny. She smiled and nuzzled him. Hermione wished Ron would say something about her like that sometime, he was sweet, just a little oblivious most of the time.

Hermione noticed Lupin was peaking out the window of Hagrid's cabin, the expression on his face clearly meant something was wrong. She happened to glance at Harry and noticed he had the same expression, as though he knew something they didn't even though he couldn't see out the window from his seat. Lupin looked from the window to Harry; Harry said nothing but nodded slightly.

'What's wrong?' Hermione asked them.

'Minerva's coming,' Lupin said, Ron and Ginny noticed the dilemma; Lupin said to Harry, 'are you going to run?'

Harry looked to Ginny, 'No,' he said, 'don't know if there's much point. I'm here now anyway,' Harry finished.

Apparently McGonagall had reached the door because Hermione heard a knocking at the door a moment later. She didn't wait for anyone to answer, though Lupin was about to. McGonagall pushed the door open and her eyes searched for a second before falling on Harry and Ginny.

'Mister Potter,' she brought a hand to her head and sighed with relief, 'and Miss Weasley,' she said a second later.

'Sorry for any trouble, Minerva, I needed to borrow them for a moment,' Lupin said.

She didn't look like she believed them, but she didn't look upset either. Her expression was almost worried.

''Lo, Professor,' Harry said. He didn't appear distressed in the least, he smiled.

McGonagall struggled with what she was going to say for a moment before smiling, 'I'm glad we have you to continue what Albus started…' she said kindly, then, as though surprised by herself, added, 'though I wish you would have considered your education more thoroughly.'

'Thanks, Professor,' Harry said.

Hermione smiled too. His defences were crashing to the ground. The wall he built around himself was crumbling and he became less distant. There was still obviously something he was struggling with and Hermione hoped he would tell her eventually. She wished it. To take some of the pain away, like she had before.

'Though, you should know, the Ministry was alerted to your presence and is coming. They want to talk to you,' McGonagall said to Harry.

'The Ministry?' Lupin asked, 'Who? Aurors?'

'The Minister himself, I believe.'

'Blimey,' Ron said.

'Harry,' Hermione said, 'be careful around him. There are a lot of cover-up rumours going around about the Ministry. People disagreeing with the way they're doing things are going to Azkaban for conspiracy.'

'I know,' Harry said his eyes downcast.

'Will you-'

'Run?' Harry said, 'no. Like I already said. I can't stay, and will leave soon, but not just yet…'

Lupin was looking out the window again.

'News must have travelled fast,' he said.

The Minister didn't even bother knock, he simply opened the door. Scrimgeour looked surprised for a moment to find every occupant of the cabin expecting him, then smiled and two other Ministry aurors with sweeping cloaks entered behind him.

'Harry Potter,' Scrimgeour said shaking his hand, 'we've been following you, impressive…very impressive. Let's go for a walk,' the Minister offered.

Harry got up to go but Lupin stopped him.

'Harry's just fine here.'

Hermione was secretly glad Lupin did this. She didn't like the idea of Harry being alone with a man he'd likely completely annoyed by undermining the Ministry's ability, the Ministry's aurors, his love for Dumbledore, and refusal to publicly support the Ministry the year previous.

The Minister's face fell slightly, but wanted to continue appearing friendly though the tension in the air was tangible. Harry sat back down.

'Well, Harry, we were hoping to get you into London to talk to you.'

'Why would he have to go in?' Hermione said before Lupin could.

Lupin's very existence as a werewolf put his freedom in jeopardy. Hermione knew he was protective of Harry but if he continued to offend the Minister he could get himself thrown in Azkaban. She seriously doubted even he would consider putting a 17-year-old Muggle-born witch with a nearly perfect record and Head girl at Hogwarts in jail.

'Yes, the castle is perfectly suitable for talking,' McGonagall said.

She was thinking along the same lines as Hermione. It would be much easier for them to force the truth out of him or arrest him if he was at the Ministry. Harry was very reluctant to talk and definitely had something he didn't want to share with them, though she couldn't decide whether his secrets were bad enough to land him in Azkaban.

'Well we'd prefer to talk with him at the Ministry.'

'You can't arrest him, he's the only reason V-Voldemort hasn't completely taken over,' Hermione said, loosing control briefly.

'Young lady, you'd be best to remember how complex the matters are. As for arresting Harry, well, I doubt that will be necessary-'

'He hasn't done anything wrong,' Lupin said. If Harry wants to talk with you, it will be on his terms-'

'This matter,' Scrimgeour said loudly, 'is between the Ministry and Harry, and some of the incidents we have witnessed require an explanation-'

'You need an explanation for why he's done the Min-'

'If it's an arrestable offence-'

'You-'

'Stop!' Harry said finally, 'I'll go to the Ministry.'

* * *

After leaving Little Hangleton, Harry and Regulus travelled to 12 Grimmauld Place. As Harry already knew from the summer, the Order had vacated it after Dumbledore's death. The laws of the Fidelius Charm became very complicated after the death of the secret keeper and they had preferred to find a new place instead of renew the charm. 

Harry crept in quietly, though it was empty. Regulus took the opposite approach. Touching everything and looking around, commenting on every change and new smell in the old house. He paused in front of the Black Family Tree and traced the blackened edges of some of the burn marks.

'I liked Uncle Alphard, even if he was disappointed to have me as a namesake,' Regulus said more to himself then to Harry, 'and dear Bella…don't worry Harry,' he said to him, smiling bizarrely, 'we'll get back at her soon.'

Harry began digging through the objects they'd cleaned out of the cabinet. His heart panged as he remembered Sirius helping them. He found the long chain attached to the locket and extracted it. Just as it was in the memory, Harry almost smiled realizing this was definitely the correct locket. Thankfully neither Mundungus Fletcher nor Kreacher had taken it.

'Found it, have you? Trust me yet?' Regulus said, noticing Harry.

'Is it still a Horcrux? I mean, is a piece of his soul still in it?' Harry asked.

'No, did the thing properly myself. Just a trinket now. Well, we should get started.'

'Doing what?' Harry asked. He was dimly aware that the pain in his chest in memory of Sirius lessened when he looked at Regulus.

'Getting you ready. Planning to destroy the rest, aren't you?'

'Well, yes, but-'

'Then it's best to start with your pitiful Occlumency and Legilimency skills.'

'Legimency? I was never supposed to learn that,' Harry said surprised.

'You'll need it. We should start tonight. I can sense from here how bad you are at protecting your mind and I can barely do magic these days. Who taught you?'

'Severus Snape,' Harry spat.

Regulus didn't reply for a moment, 'A talented Legilimens…he saved my life.'

'A Death Eater who took Dumbledore's,' Harry retorted. Though he found it incredibly odd to be arguing with Sirius about Snape's merit…no…wait…it wasn't Sirius.

'…Well…no time to waste. Let's start tonight. I believe I can still teach it.'

'Why would I need to learn Legilimency?' Harry asked.

'You're kidding, right?' Regulus said almost laughing, 'you can't think of any reason why it would be beneficial to be able to look into the Dark Lord's mind?'

'…To block curses?' Harry said.

Regulus started to laugh, 'Well I do understand why Dumbledore wouldn't want you to. He's always been afraid of the dark side-'

'He wasn't afraid!'

'Right, sure. But you do need Legilimency for blocking curses. You also need it because the Dark Lord knows more about magic then any other wizard on this earth at the moment. You have the advantage of a constant connection.'

'So…what?'

'Some wizards accumulate knowledge by absorbing everything in another person's mind. The Dark Lord was a natural at Legilimency and probably took knowledge from every teacher and person he looked at, but he could only do it while he was looking at them. You don't need eye contact, when you're able to get past the Dark Lord's shield, you'll be able to absorb his knowledge of magic as long as you're concentrating.'

'…You want me to learn from Voldemort? To look in _his_ mind? I-I-'

'Don't worry; he wouldn't try to possess you.'

'He already tried, it didn't work.'

'Perfect!' he said hysterically, 'after that there's something else you can learn from him that we'll try-'

'What?' Harry said, not liking Regulus's tone at all.

'Not yet. After that, we'll track down the last Horcrux.'

'There are two more,' Harry said.

'What?'

'The ring, the locket, the diary, the cup, that leaves two more. Nagini and something that belonged to Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. We'll need to find two. Plus Voldemort himself.'

'Oh, right,' Regulus said, but there was a distinct and disturbed gleam in his eye when he said it.

* * *

Harry's agreeing to go to the Ministry caught Hermione completely off guard. Even as she and Ron half heartedly started their homework in the prefect's lounge, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on in London. It was one of the few times in her life when she believed they shouldn't be doing homework, but there was little else to be done with Harry gone again and the school was buzzing. At least very few people were allowed in the lounge and it was currently empty. 

She felt Ron's foot kick her foot around under the table. She looked up at him.

'What?' she asked.

'How can you work?'

'I…can't,' she gave up on an essay, 'what do you think is going on?'

'Don't know,' Ron said, 'I can't figure out why Scrimgeour would want to arrest him.'

'Think about it, Ron. The amount of power Harry must have is-'

'Impossible,' he finished her sentence.

'No, not impossible. Just nearly impossible, I think,' she hoped desperately, 'They think he must have had to use the dark arts.'

'Oh,' Ron said, '…you don't think…he wouldn't?'

'No,' Hermione said quickly, unnaturally, 'Harry would never use the dark arts. It's just, strange, is all. Even Dumbledore couldn't have…never mind.'

'You think Harry is more powerful then Dumbledore?' Ron said.

'No,' she said too quickly again, 'well…'

Hermione couldn't keep this up, she was worried, and she looked back to her essay.

'There's definitely something bothering him,' Ron said.

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. When she looked back up at Ron, her eyes were lined with tears.

'What if…he did use the dark arts…what if all this pressure and the prophecy finally got to him and…' she couldn't continue. She muffled a small sob.

Ron looked surprised and awkward for a moment, then got up and sat down on the bench beside Hermione. He put his arm around her shoulders, she turned into him. Hermione pressed her burning face against his warm chest. She clutched him as she shook and her tears began to soak his robes.

'Harry wouldn't do that,' Ron said soothingly, 'we know him…he hates the dark arts. He's never used them before-'

'Yes he has,' she cried, 'Sectumsempra.'

'But he didn't mean to.'

'He's used Cruciatus too…on Bella Lestrange at the Ministry. I heard him…I thought I might have heard wrong at first…but I didn't.'

'It's ok…even if he did use…_it_…he's still Harry.'

'Y-you don't understand,' she said, letting go of him and wiping her eyes, 'I've looked it up a dozen times this year. It's almost impossible without the dark arts. Dark magic doesn't work like normal magic. It changes a person…it could change him…'

Hermione collapsed back onto Ron's chest. He kissed her forehead. His thumb traced comforting circles on her neck. She felt him breathe, this, for some reason, calmed her.

'He was in Albania…' she said. Hermione finally got rid of all the guilt and dread she'd been accumulating for months.

'…Maybe he went for the beaches.' Ron said.

Hermione smiled. She dried her eyes.

'I love you, Ron,' she said. Infinitely glad for him at that moment.

'I love you too,' Hermione kissed him softly on the lips, pausing there for a moment, lost in it, 'Hermione,' Ron said, breaking the kiss, 'whatever Harry has done, where ever he's gone, I think we should be strong for him.'

It was one of the wisest things Ron had ever said.

Later that evening, Hermione found herself walking towards Headmistress's office. She had heard no word on Harry and curiosity had got the best of her.

'Queerditch Marsh,' she told the gargoyle. Hermione made her way up the circular staircase, noting there must be someone in the office at the moment. She could hear voices. She paused just outside the door, it sounded like McGonagall talking to her cousin, the Other Professor McGonagall.

'…He hadn't told them anything by the time I got there. It was a full on interrogation but Harry wasn't speaking, he's back now. I told him he could use one of the extra teacher's suites.' McGonagall said.

'Why did he decide to go then?' her cousin, Professor Samuel McGonagall asked.

'He wanted to warn them about some attacks You-Know-Who is planning. He's just lucky I got there in time,' Minerva McGonagall said.

'Why?' asked Samuel McGonagall.

'Because they were planning to use Veritaserum, I alerted the Wizengamot in time for them to put it into the proper approval process, which won't be finished for a few days. The truth will still be the truth then, they said. Harry has really frightened them.'

'Course. Got me a little worried too,' Samuel McGonagall said, 'not many people realize it, probably for the best, let them have their hero for now, but from what I've heard about his appearances over the last few months, it looks like we might soon have another Tom Riddle on our hands.'

'Don't say that,' Minerva McGonagall said, 'I knew him in passing forty years ago and they're nothing alike.'

'Forty years ago, Tom Riddle was already completely immersed in the dark arts. Potter probably just isn't at that stage yet.'

There was a silence, 'I still don't believe it. Harry's lost so much to the dark arts-'

'He's lost nothing to the dark arts. His parents died because of a prophecy, his Godfather because of his own inability to see through a trap-'

Hermione felt a stab of anger towards Samuel McGonagall. She felt horribly guilty for being right about Harry's hero-complex before they left for the Ministry.

'-Dumbledore because of his trusting nature and the desire to protect him. Potter will find a scapegoat for all these things, but it won't be the dark arts. He'll hate himself until he thinks he doesn't have anything to lose and that's when dark magic will suddenly become very appealing. I've seen it happen a thousand times.'

There was another silence, 'What about You-Know-Who? Harry hates him.'

'He thinks he does. He thinks Voldemort is the reason he's so angry at himself, but he's wrong. And one of three things will soon happen. He might destroy Voldemort, and realize the dark arts are still there and he still has hate, that's what Tom Riddle realized. Voldemort might destroy him and then any hope for a peaceful future will be hard to come by. Or, Voldemort might get to him first, talk to him, trick him into combining forces and he'll have won. None of them sound too appealing.'

Minerva McGonagall didn't answer.

'But,' Samuel said, 'I've been wrong about these things before. You never really know…'

Hermione quietly sneaked down the circular staircase. She didn't have any desire to know they'd heard her talking. Once she was safely out of sight, Hermione pulled out Marauder's Map and activated it. She began scanning the teacher's apartments, which were found in clusters in every corner of the castle and mostly on the 7th floor.

She found Harry stationary in one Hermione had never seen anyone in before. She paused to gather her thoughts before deciding to go to him. She really had no idea what she was planning to say; only that she had to make sure he was still the Harry she knew. And to make sure he knew he would always have her.

The corridors were quiet as she walked. And the door she knew Harry was behind was unassuming and quite dull. She glanced down at the Map, Harry still hadn't moved. There was still time to turn around and go back…but she couldn't…Hermione raised her hand and knocked quietly, three small knocks.

Harry's position on the map didn't change, but she heard the doorknob click, as though it had been unlocked. She turned the knob and slipped in the door, putting the map in her pocket quickly.

He was sitting with his head in his hands on a grey settee in the sitting room of the teacher's suite. Hermione couldn't see his face but he was clearly upset.

'…Harry? It's me,' she said.

'Yeah, I know,' he said, from behind a curtain of black hair, his voice was cracked.

'Are you ok?' she said tenderly, closing the door and making her way closer to him.

'I'm fi-' he began then stopped himself, 'no…I'm not.'

Harry looked up, his face was white and Hermione was shocked to see his green eyes were watery.

'Harry,' she gasped she sat down on the sofa next to him.

'Hermione…I've screwed up really badly…'

'No…Harry…It's ok…' she said. She slowly pulled his shoulder down till Harry's head was resting on her lap. His eyes avoided hers, he turned on his side.

'I should never have trusted him…' Harry said.

'Who? Not…Voldemort?' she said, recalling the conversation between the McGongalls.

'Regulus Black.'

'…I thought… isn't he… dead?'

'No, not dead.'

'Harry,' Hermione said, 'what happened to you?'

He didn't speak for a moment, '…I-I…'

'Start from the beginning,' she suggested.

'I left the Burrow and went to Godric's Hallow; I saw the house…the graves. There nursery…the room it happened in…it was like stepping into a curse, a nightmare,' he shuttered, 'there was a cabinet there too…it had powerful objects in it…' he paused, 'after, I went to Little Hangleton, to search for Horcruxes. That's where I found Regulus, in the Riddle House. He's R.A.B; he had already destroyed the locket and Hufflepuff's goblet. I told him about the diary and the ring. And I told him about Dumbledore and Sirius. He just reminded me so much of him.'

'Sirius?'

'Yeah,' Harry said quietly, 'and he told me the locket was at Grimmauld Place. We went there after and found it, but he had already destroyed the Horcrux,' Harry's tone changed, 'he told me we'd get back at Bella that day, I didn't think anything of it at that time,' he paused, 'he said he was going to help me.'

'I thought he was a Death Eater?'

'He was. He tried to get out and Voldemort thought he killed him, but Snape had saved him. Then he disappeared for seventeen years and woke up two years ago. He's been trying to destroy Voldemort too.'

'How? I mean, how did Snape save him?' Hermione said.

'I don't know,' Harry said genuinely, 'he doesn't know either.'

'Oh. So he said he was going to help you?'

'He said I would need to learn Occlumency and Legilimency…so I could use the connection between us to go into Voldemort's mind…so I would know what he knew.'

'And did you?'

'Yeah,' Harry said quietly, 'I saw that…I also saw bits of his childhood…it…it reminded me a lot of mine…with the Dursleys. I understood some of it…sometimes…I couldn't figure out whether it was something he had felt or I had…I think that's the reason Dumbledore didn't want me taught Legimency…because he would know that.'

'Is that what you're worried about?' Hermione said softly.

'No,' Harry said darkly.

There was a moment of silence.

'Do you know what an Agoncrux is?' Harry asked.

'No,' Hermione said, scouring her brains for the word, 'it sounds like-'

'It's not a Horcrux. It's kind of the opposite. It's combining your soul with another object…'

Hermione stifled a gasp. Her hands fell still (she had been running her hands mindlessly through his hair).

'Harry…you didn't…'

'I-I had to,' his voice was cracking again, 'it was the only way. Voldemort never did it…he couldn't…he didn't have enough of a soul left…and when he did, he wasn't sure if it would have worked. Regulus said only certain wizards can do it.'

'It worked?' Hermione whispered. She felt tears sting her own eyes.

'Yeah.'

Hermione felt her heart drop and shatter.

'When we came back, I was different, everything was different. I trusted him… he looked so much like Sirius… he… I… we went to Bella's… she was sleeping but woke up… she threw a knife… I didn't mean to kill her… I don't think I did at least…'

'Bella's dead?'

Harry didn't answer. Tears were pouring down Hermione's face now. One slid off her cheek and landed on Harry's neck. He turned and looked up at her tearstained face. Harry sat up.

'I'm sorry, Hermione,' he said.

'No, it's ok, continue,' she said through tears.

'I didn't mean to make you… I'm so sorry.'

'Harry, it's ok, it's going to be ok.'

'I shouldn't have made you come here,' he said.

'You didn't, I came here on my own, I wanted to see you. I missed you. I miss you. I don't care what you've done, Harry…'

'You don't deserve this, you don't-'

'You don't deserve this, Harry!' she half shouted as Harry stood up, 'you're a good person! You're the best wizard I've ever known! You still are! You-' she had reached up to touch his cheek. Harry grabbed her wrist tightly, almost painfully.

'I don't want to hurt you again.'

'…You can't…the only thing you can do to hurt me is to push me away…' Hermione said, her wrist still tightly clenched.

His grip loosened. He fell to his knees.

'I just don't know what to do…'

* * *

_AN: sorry for the wait beloved reviewers. I've just got a lot going on right now, it's slightly longer then usual though so be happy! I love you all so much for all the reviews, it's just amazing. My internet is messed up and I'm going to have to post this from a café so I can't do replies, but that doesn't mean I don't love you all._

_But whatever. Tell me what you thought of the chapter (if it's so bad if gave you eye cancer- tell me!) and remember to…_

_REVIEW!_

_REVIEW!_

_REVIEW!_

07/29/05- edit, scrapped the slash idea

07/29/05- apparently, Harry studying 'Occumency' and 'Legimency' wouldn't get him very far, so I'm getting him started on 'Occlumency' and 'Legilimency'


	5. Scabbed Wings

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

_AN: after replies_

-Dave, _no worries, no slash, and thanks!_

-Rdprince29, _Harry will need support and they'll be more Ron and Hermione etc. in the next few chapters. Harry will be staying with Ginny, I actually wasn't very attached to the new HPGW canon two weeks ago, but it's really starting to grow on me. Thank you!_

-Rkhiara, _thanks!_

-GravityDrop, _don't worry, no slash. And thanks!_

-Andy May, _thank you!_

-Fernnu, _yeah, I'll be sticking to the cannon couples pretty much. Thanks!_

-Slytherin Shaman, _sorry, I think HGRW has to stay, but don't worry, it's not very centric. :) There will be a much better explanation for the Agoncrux in coming chapters, no worries. And thanks for the review!_

-SpiffySquee, _they ARE cute, aren't they? Thanks for reviewing!_

-Emziwilson, _smiles I hope you liked this chapter, lots more explanations to come._

-A Phantom Moon, _I love tortured Harry too! Reg is a little too crazy for my likin' but he looks like Sirius so he's definitely pretty :) Scrimgeour is in the next chapter, argh, oh well…thanks for reviewing!_

-Honey P, _no worries, no Evil!Harry. Thanks!_

-Ronniekinzluvr, _thank you. Don't worry about Agoncruxes yet, they're supposed to be a mystery right now. _

-Potterfanforever, _that's just the way Harry is. He's got issues…needs a shrink real bad._

-Sahaqiel89, _don't worry, no slash. And I corrected Occlumency and Legilimency yesterday, thanks for the tip. I'm forgoing a beta on this story in favour of quicker chapter postings so a few errors are bound to get through. Thanks for the review._

-ZanyMuggle, _this fic will be stick close to some of the canon so slash is out. Maybe the next if will have some, I don't know yet. The thing is, I wrote up the plan to this less then an hour after finishing HBP so there are parts of the plan that I thought 'wow, this is such a cool, original idea' and now, reading through other fics, I see lots of them have them too. But there are other parts, like Alive!Regulus that I thought would be really common but turned out to be kinda rare at this point post-HBP. Thanks for the review!_

-xXxPirateChicaxXx, _thanks!_

-Halfcrazy, _thank you. Regulus is useful in a demented sort of way, lol._

-Phat Paul, _don't worry, the fic is safe from crazy slash bunnies._

-Magnus Thorson, _no slash, don't worry. As for dark magic, that's kind of what Harry is trying to decide too, how much intentions matter. Agoncruxes are a mystery right now but they'll become clearer. Even Hermione has no idea what it really means, she just thought it sounded bad and realized how big a deal Harry knew it was. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Soymaid, _thanks for reviewing. I'm going to try and work out a lot of the grammatical issues and spelling and stuff as soon as possibly but I truly hate proof reading…my English teacher's brain just exploded somewhere because I finally admitted it, lol. _

-Camron, _no slash, don't worry. You're actually not the first person to mention my dialogue is a little…"odd." I think the problem is I'm a bit of a minimalist when it comes to dialogue, but nothing else so the story comes out sounding a little awkward sometimes. You're review actually put what I'm trying to write about Harry's confusion perfectly. And I did think about the lack of guidance he was left with at the end of HBP, part of the reason I wanted to give him Regulus (who is completely insane) to really help him see both how much and how little Dumbledore's guidance meant. I hope I didn't give too much away. Thanks for reviewing!_

-someone, _thank you!_

-RaeRoark, _THANKS!1_

-Jeefus, _thank you! He's got a long to way to go to 'happily ever after though', lol._

-VinnyRoxyFrankie Numair's Girls, _I have to add an 'eye cancer' disclaimer anyway, can't be too careful:) and don't worry, there will be a nice, complete explanation of agoncruxes soon enough. Thanks for reviewing!_

-lluvatar, _no problem, you're welcome._

-lisi, _thank you so much. This one was a little bit faster. So far I've been good, 6 days was my longest wait and that was for the last chapter. That's amazing for me, I hope I can keep this up._

-afireinside89, _thank you!_

-Shang Warrior Phoenix, _no worries, no slash. The object(s?) was hinted at a bit in this chapter, but the whole concept is still supposed to be mostly unknown. _

-Julia, _there will be an in depth explanation of agoncruxes soon enough. All anyone really needs to know right now is that they're something that makes Harry feel supremely upset and incredibly guilty. EVERY REVIEW MAKES A DIFFERENCE! I'm incredibly guilty…in case you didn't notice. I'm on my computer most of the day working and I must refresh the 'story stat's page a dozen times a day when I have a fic up because I'm an idiot and I love reviews. Snape is important, but he doesn't actually show up that much. I don't like him either (don't worry, there won't be that now classic scene where Dumbly asks Snape to kill him- though I kind of like that theory) the way he treated Harry and Sirius alone is enough to make me hate him. I have Tonks and Remus popping up somewhere because I love that couple! So cute! I am a girl…if I didn't give it away with that NTRL gushing. Thanks for reviewing!_

-hazelle, _I 3 dark bits, lol. Thanks for reviewing!_

-XXRoseDawsonXX, _Harry's still got a soul, but don't worry about agoncruxes, Regulus or Harry will explain them soon enough. There won't be any slash, but I still think this whole story is ridiculously complicated anyway. Thanks for reviewing!_

-atexasphoenix, _you're right; I did say I'd be gentle with the cannon, so there won't be any slash. I honestly believe RAB is Regulus (I don't believe JKR has actually kept him alive, but I thought I'd be interesting in this fic) if only poor Harry could put the pieces together, oh well, I guess JKR could still just be throwing us a curve ball. Thank you so much, I hope it does evolve ok._

-Quill Mistress, _poor Harry…I love him but he's really stuck in a difficult position right now. Thank you so much (and thanks again to atexasphoenix) I hope you like this slash-free chapter too._

-Charmina, _thanks for the review. Harry should be very careful he suffers so badly at the hands of angst ff authors. He didn't get quite as pummelled in this chapter though:)_

-Jayde Green, _lol, I was actually really surprised at the number of reviews. I posted the first chapter fully accepting there wouldn't be anyone finished or reading fan fics for weeks or months, I remember not getting back into the world till the end of the summer for both GOF and OOP, but apparently there are people out there reviewing. I actually laughed at your Harry-Chair idea for a moment, then I realized it's probably the closest to what I'm thinking so far, lol. Snape…darn angry at him…oh well. Thanks for the review!

* * *

_

Harry stared lazily out the window. He had been hiding, coped up in the old teacher-suite the entire day and hadn't seen anyone since Hermione left the night previous. Snow was drifting down gently that evening but Harry could see storm clouds in the distance. The giant squid had been working on cracking the ice lining the lake for the better part of the hour and had finally succeeded.

It had been the quietest, most empty day he had had in months and, while Harry knew he should be appreciating the silence, he found it left him alone with his thoughts- not a pleasant experience. Two days ago, when he walked up the Hogwarts drive with Ginny in his arms, he had only planned to make sure no one was hurt then leave as quickly as possible…but being back at the school, he found the thought of being alone chasing down Death Eaters more unbearable than being alone and avoiding people.

His stomach growled dully, as it had been doing most of the day. He hadn't eaten since the morning of the Hogsmeade attack. He wondered briefly if he could make it down to the kitchens unnoticed but decided against it.

Harry had retired to trying to charm a small hole in his cloak shut when he heard a knock on the door. It was difficult to sense anything in Hogwarts, too much magic and too many people. Harry silently unlocked the door from his seat by the window.

'Harry?'

It was Ginny. She slipped in the door, rather difficultly because she was holding a large tray of food. Harry got up and helped her with it, putting it down on an old coffee table in front of the empty fireplace. It looked like she had got half the food for the entire Gryffindor table for him.

_Funny the way things work out sometimes_, Harry thought.

'Thought you might be hungry,' she said, sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table and setting up two places with plates, forks and knives, 'I would have come yesterday but Hermione said you probably needed to get some sleep.'

Harry smiled and sat down on the carpet, across the coffee table from her, glad he was no longer alone, and even gladder that it was Ginny and she had food, 'I don't know. The night in the hospital wing was probably the best sleep I had in a long time,' he tore into a roll almost violently. He was hungrier then he had thought.

'Yeah…me too…' Ginny paused, setting down a fork; something was on her mind, 'how did you do that? Mme Pomfrey said she'd never seen anyone heal people like that.'

Harry blushed faintly while helping himself to a potato open, 'It's really not that tricky to do, just exhausting and I can't heal myself with it.'

'Why not?' she asked, pouring a goblet full of pumpkin juice.

'Because it's not really healing. "Vigoratus" just transferring a kind of magical energy, I'm not completely sure how it works and I don't know if anyone ever used it for healing before- kind of impractical, when I was taught it was intended for something else.'

'What was it intended for?' Ginny asked.

'Not important,' Harry lied. He looked away from her and began cutting up a piece of roast chicken, 'that storm came in fast,' Harry said, changing the subject and looking at the window. It was true, the snow had changed into sleet and though it was early in the evening, the sky was impenetrably black.

Ginny eyed him for a moment, the subject change had been far too obvious, then took a bite of Shepard's pie and spoke, 'Yeah, I hope Lupin's not out- oh he's went to London to talk to the Ministry,' she added, seeing Harry's blank look.

He felt absolutely no reason to use Legilimency on Ginny while talking to her; it would feel immoral and like a breech of her trust. Plus, she wouldn't lie to him.

'Why does he need to go to the Ministry?' Harry asked.

'Um…I- er- think he has to talk to them about Order business.'

_Ok_, Harry rationalized, _she would lie a little, but she's not very good at it._

'And to ask them not to use Veritaserum on me,' he guessed.

'That too,' she smiled bashfully.

'It's ok. I just don't know why he's bothering, I thought he was just as curious as the Ministry about the last few months,' Harry said.

'He is,' Ginny said, 'but he trusts you and doesn't think you need to be poisoned and shackled to a chair with aurors around to tell us, when you're ready.'

Harry didn't answer for a moment. The wind howled outside. 'So is he living here again?' Harry asked.

'In Hogsmeade. There are Ministry aurors living in the castle, in the dungeons I think, and most of the Order is staying in Hogsmeade these days.'

Harry noticed Ginny pull her cloaks tighter in the cold.

'_Incendio,_' Harry aimed his wand at the fireplace and it immediately sprang into bright, dancing flames, which matched Ginny's hair. The sitting room was suddenly bright and warm.

'That's better,' Ginny said, the flames casting soft light on her face.

She was gorgeous. And Harry was selfish, because he definitely didn't deserve her, he thought. She looked up, noticing him staring, and smiled.

'What? Have I got something on my face?' she asked, and began dabbing at her lips with her napkin.

Harry laughed a little and shook his head. He got to his knees and carefully lent across the food laden coffee table, he kissed her softly just beside her smile.

'What was that for?' she whispered in his ear.

He pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, 'You're perfect…'

She blushed and shook her head a little, then looked up and caught Harry's lips very suddenly. Harry shifted his weight onto one hand and his knees as he brought his other hand across the table and cradled her head with it.

Ginny rose to her knees with him but she lost her balance after a moment and fell backward, pulling Harry and half the food on the table with her. Harry came to rest next to her on the floor while pumpkin juice slowly stained the carpet. He started to laugh. She pulled herself off the carpet and onto his chest.

'Sorry,' she said quietly.

'I wasn't hungry anyway,' Harry said. He stretched his neck up and kissed her again.

She rested his head on her chest. Peaceful moments, like good things, never last though.

There was a knock on the door. Harry didn't move, he didn't want to. The knocking persisted.

'…Maybe it's just Ron,' Ginny said hopefully but she still got off of him.

Harry groaned, it wasn't Ron, it was Professor McGonagall, when he was calm it was easier to sense things, even in Hogwarts, but as Ginny let him get up and began to pick up carrots, he felt that serenity slip away and his mind become clouded again.

He straightened his robes and opened the door for her. McGonagall's face was serious and grey.

'Good evening, Mister Potter…and Miss Weasley,' she said, noticing Ginny over Harry's shoulder but not looking entirely surprised. Harry stepped aside to let her in.

McGonagall looked appraising at the sitting room for a moment and, with a flick of her wand, the carrots jumped back into their bowl and a napkin began mopping up the pumpkin juice. She sat down in one of the arm chairs. Harry sat down on the grey sofa, as did Ginny.

'I'm afraid I have some bad news.'

'I have to go back to the Ministry?' Harry guessed and, again, he was right.

'Tomorrow morning,' she said darkly, 'do you know anything about the Veritaserum procedure?'

Harry shook his head, though apparently it involved being shackled to a chair and surrounded by aurors.

'Since you aren't under arrest, it's technically voluntary, but if you try to resist they'll get a warrant for your arrest, and warrants aren't hard to come by lately. They'll also have to have you approve the five questions before asking you, _but_,' she said, stressing the word, 'if you don't agree after three revisions of the questions, they can get a warrant for your arrested- these laws are full of loopholes favouring the Ministry.'

'Five questions?' Ginny said, 'isn't that a lot? Dad says they usually only ask one question, or three for really complicated events.'

'They were very militant in demanding maximum Veritaserum use,' McGonagall said, 'not that you have anything to worry about,' she said seeing Harry raise his eyebrow, 'just choose your battles during the question-approval session and do try not to anger the Minister again.'

Harry nodded.

'I also need to inform you, if you do decide to take off tonight and not show up for the questioning, they'll have to put an arrest warrant out, not that I think it would to much good. They've already been exhausting their manpower trying to track you down. To think of it, Death Eaters out there and the Ministry decide their aurors would be better put to use trying to find a seventeen-year-old!'

It was sad, really.

'Do you have any questions?'

'I don't think so,' Harry said.

'Then I'd best leave you to get a good night's sleep. You should close those drapes too, these suites tend to get drafty and the storm is getting worse,' then she reconsidered simply offering it as a suggestion and, with a flick of her wand, the drapes closed the now completely snow caked window out of view, 'but I doubt anyone would mind you staying in the Gryffindor Tower, Potter.'

'Thanks Professor, but I'd rather stay here, if you don't mind.'

'Of course not, I'll see you at nine tomorrow.'

'G'night, Professor.'

She left Harry and Ginny in a silence only interrupted by the fire's quiet noises and the wind outside.

'Are you going to leave?' Ginny asked.

Harry shook his head, 'You know there are some people who have nice simple lives that don't involve Ministry vendettas.'

'Sounds dull. I'd much rather have you.'

_Way too good for you, _Harry thought.

'…Stay with me tonight,' Harry said, he scolded himself again mentally for daring to keep her but he also couldn't help the thought that the Ministry might want to arrest him and he'd have to go on the run again, making it their last night together.

'I was hoping you'd say that.'

* * *

'You weren't kidding. This _is_ a good place,' Regulus said as he and Harry rounded the path leading to Godric's Hallow.

Harry hadn't been comfortable staying in Grimmauld Place partially because Sirius's lingering shadow there and partially because he doubted there were any wards preventing anyone from simply stopping in. Bella may notice her cousin's house had mysteriously popped back onto the radar after the Order left or an Order member may return and Harry wanted to be disturbed by neither.

Godric's Hallow was much the same as he remembered it from only days ago. Regulus seemed elated at seeing it. When they reached the end of the road, where the rusted gate stood, Regulus paused. Harry had gone a few steps before he noticed.

He looked curiously back at Regulus. The gate was now open and the ivy had been trimmed back (assumedly by the house elves).

'What?'

'You have to formally invite me onto the property or the house will just toss me back out. Old homes always have wards connected to the gates.'

'Oh. You can come.'

'That should do it.'

Regulus stepped through the gates with no opposition.

Two cheery house elves greeted Harry once he'd stepped inside. Cheshire left to get food, swearing her life not to let anyone know who she worked for, and Smithy stayed with Harry and Regulus. He was looking rather coldly at Regulus and neither house elf had acknowledged him.

'Should I be preparing a room for you, Master Harry?' the house elf asked.

'Yes.'

'Prepare two,' Regulus said piping up.

'As you wish,' said Smithy, though he didn't look as eager at the idea of Regulus staying.

But Regulus didn't care in the least; he pushed aside the elf to explore the house. He showed mild interest in the paintings around the entrance hall, but when he reached the dining room, Regulus was sucked into the same trance Harry felt in front of the cabinet.

It still contained the necklace, old wand and empty crystal bottle, but Harry once again found them incredibly interesting.

'…Thought they were just legends…' Regulus muttered. He reached to open the cabinet but jerked his hand away from the lock as though it burnt his fingers. Harry stared at him.

'What?' Harry finally asked, snapping Regulus out of his trance.

'Nothing…' he said, unperturbed by not being able to open the cabinet, 'have you ever heard of an Agoncrux, Harry?'

'No.'

'Right…well, never mind. Let's get to work.'

Smithy appeared next to Harry with a quiet popping sound.

'I have made the master bedroom for you, Master Potter, and a room for your associate,' he said, without looking at Regulus.

Something suddenly struck Harry, 'Smithy,' he asked, 'have you been able to get the nursery back to normal?'

Smithy hung his head in shame.

'Master Potter, I am very sorry. The room has been active these last few days but it is not improving.'

'It's ok, Smithy,' Harry said, slightly disappointed.

'What's this?' Regulus asked.

'The room Voldemort killed my mum in is cursed or something, I think,' Harry said to Regulus, he turned back to the still-shamed looking Smithy, 'what do you mean it's "been active?"'

'More furniture has been raised.'

Though Harry hadn't planned to return to the room if it was still cursed, his curiosity got the best of him and he navigated his way back to the room with Smithy and Regulus on his heels. Harry felt the magic even more strongly then last time before he approached the room. The air almost tingled.

He braced himself. Harry pressed the ice cold door and let it swing open slowly, which creaked a long, low scream.

Just like last time, the room sucked in all light. There was large window on one wall with black vines cracking it, twisting and leaking so that only a murky grey light came through. The walls were more warped then they had been and the entire floor was covered in a thin layer of the mysterious dark liquid that glinted and shone oddly.

Unlike last time, however, this time, Harry stepped in. He walked a few paces into the centre of the room, Regulus followed but Smithy remained on the threshold. The room groaned bizarrely and Harry coughed at the smell of infected skin and swamp land.

Also unlike last time, there were now objects in the room. A broken dresser leant against a wall, dripping the liquid and looking as though it would fall over at a slight wind. There was also a crib in front of the window. The wood forming the bars of the crib splintered and twisted into more of a cage and the blankets looked brittle and burnt.

Harry looked up at Regulus to ask him what he thought, but Regulus was preoccupied, staring at a large painting on one wall with rapt attention. Harry turned his attention to it too and gasped.

A barren waste land under a blackened sky, the figures lay anaemic and dying. Harry moved closer too it. They weren't human, the figures had to be demons or some horribly distorted angels. Their skin was pale white with open wounds traveling up and down their skin, which shone bright red and white through their shredded robes.

Each had large wings growing from their shoulder blades, but they were broken and covered in huge black scabs. Some had patches of grey feathers on them but most of the angel wings, if that's what they were, had moulted and were left bony, brittle and bat-like. An androgynous-looking one looked at Harry with bloodshot eyes.

'Master Potter,' Smithy squeaked, 'I am not thinking it is healthy to be in there too long.'

'Yeah,' Harry murmured, pulling his eyes away from the painting. Both he and Regulus left, shutting the door tightly behind them.

'Your parents must have been twisted to but you in there…' Regulus said.

'It wasn't always like that,' Harry said, 'what was that painting?' he asked Smithy.

'It used to be very beautiful, Master Potter. They used to guard you when you were an infant; I think the canvas and paint is now cursed like the walls and floor.'

Harry's mind was completely preoccupied with that image. Even after they left the area and retreated back to the ground floor. When Cheshire returned with food and the delicious meal following, Harry couldn't clear his mind, there was something so intoxicatingly desperate about the angels.

However, when Regulus decided finally they had to start working on Occlumency and Legilimency in the drawing room, his fascination with the angels became a real handicap.

'You were better yesterday,' Regulus said, successfully seeing Harry playing with spiders as a child, 'your problem is that your emotions are on the surface. Get control of yourself, and for Merlinssake, get that painting out of your mind.'

'Right,' Harry said, though unsure.

'Just think of it like the Imperius Curse, you mentioned you could throw it off, it's the same theory.'

'I just don't know how to not concentrate on anything,' Harry said.

'It's not that you concentrate on nothing, it's you're simply not letting me grasp onto any emotions because emotions are how I get into your mind.'

'Oh,' said Harry, though thinking that was an entirely different thing all together.

This time, when Regulus tried to penetrate his mental wall, Harry kept the outer, surface of his mind unemotional and detached, but he was concentrating on something secretly.

'That was much better, Harry, even better than yesterday.'

But Harry was troubled, 'Dumbledore thought Snape was a better Occlumens than Voldemort was a Legilimens, but Snape was a better Occlumens than Dumbledore was a Legilimens, and Voldemort was probably a better Legilimens than both of them or Dumbledore would have known about Snape betraying him while Dumbledore and Voldemort met at the ministry. Snape wouldn't need to be better at Occlumency than Voldemort was at Legilimency because he wasn't lying…'

'You've lost me,' Regulus said, but Harry didn't care, 'you need to become better at Occlumency and Legilimency than all three of them though.'

This brought Harry back to the present 'Sounds easy.'

'I hope so. You said Dumbledore wanted you to learn Occlumency to keep Voldemort out of your head. He must have had hope it was possible for you to become better at it than he was at Legilimency.'

'Yeah, I guess.'

And once Harry had grasped the concept, and remembered the faith Dumbledore had had in him, he was much more successful and improving with every attempt. By the end of the night, he had made more progress then he had in a year with Snape. Perhaps it was simply that it wasn't Snape who was teaching him, he was suddenly more willing to learn. Or he didn't want to admit Dumbledore had been wrong twice.

Even the painting was out of Harry's exhausted him when he fell asleep that night.

He was more than willing to resume the crash-course in mental strength the morning after an early breakfast, during which Smithy apologized to Harry for burning Regulus's bacon. The bacon they served Harry was curiously delicious and unburnt.

They once again went to the drawing room. Harry chose the armchair he had the night before but sat on the edge, eager to get started. Regulus stifled a yawn and collapsed into another chair.

'Ok Ha-rry,' he said, yawning again, 'I think you'll be good at Legilimency, and it's easier when the person you're working with it tired. Basically, a lot of it has to do with empathy and your sheer strength.'

'Empathy?' Harry asked.

'You look through the connection, which would be my eyes, and just press mentally, trying to pick up on emotion. You just use empathy because it's much easier to follow that emotion into the mind if you have a good idea how the mark feels.'

'Alright…' Harry said.

'Let's give this a try.'

The most curious thing happened when Harry tried to penetrate Regulus's mind. He succeeded, more or less; at least he thought he did.

_There was an old man. Reverence. Curiosity. Jealousy. Snape too. Friendship. Inconsequential. A sense of foreboding. A darkly lit room, near a fire. The fire was dying. No one else cared but Regulus was getting cold. _

'…_He's got one, maybe more...' A thick accent, south-eastern Europe, almost Mediterranean. _

_The bottom fell out of his world. Voldemort's immortal. Nearly immortal. He couldn't be destroyed. Horcruxes. The old man knew everything. They'd all be killed. For hearing something. That sentence._

It faded away.

Harry was left mainly confused; surely Legilimency had to be clearer than that for Snape, Dumbledore and Voldemort to use it so effectively.

'You get in?' Regulus asked.

'I think so.'

'Good. But don't be too proud of yourself. I'm almost a squib these days; it's much easier for a powerful wizard to do this.'

'Sure,' but Harry was still proud. If only Dumbledore could see him…

'Why don't you give it another go?' Regulus said.

Harry nodded.

He tried again, this time much clearer on what he was trying to do. He felt restlessness in Regulus's eyes and followed it deeper, letting the emotion drag him into his mind.

'…_You know what the mark means…'_

_Eternity. The mark. The dark mark. Death. Prison. In Azkaban. In Voldemort. The mark meant eternity. Until death._

'…_Until death…'_

_Until death. Those damn red eyes. Crimson red. Crimson blood. Horrific. Disgusting. Until death. Death. Green light._

_Silence. Murky silence. _

_Except Snape. Snape was there. _

'…_Hold still…' said Snape._

_Wasn't he dead? He was still. He wasn't dead. He was tired. Sleepier and sleepier as Snape's wand moved over him._

It faded away again.

'I'd almost forgotten that,' said Regulus, reflecting, 'I thought I had forgotten, spent the last two years trying to remember; now you manage to get it out.'

'What was it?' Harry asked thoroughly confused. He had never thought of Voldemort's eyes as 'disgusting,' unnatural and disturbed, yes, but not 'disgusting,' that was Regulus's thought, but it was in Harry's mind. The whole sensation was unpleasant, like the confusion he would sometimes feel early in the mornings when he was half asleep and thought he was back at the Dursleys. But this, Legilimency, was without the happy afterwards when Harry realized he was far away at Hogwarts.

'Those were the last things I remember of 1980.'

'The year the prophecy was made.'

'The year I died.'

They spent the rest of the day working on Legilimency. And, while Harry was disappointed to realize as Regulus woke up he became much more efficient at keeping him out, he was happy to realize he was still quite good at it. The occasional flash of Sirius in Regulus's mind made him work even harder.

They ate early and Regulus left Godric's Hallow to collect potion ingredients in the forest, his inability to do magic didn't hinder his potion-making talent. Harry slipped away from Cheshire and Smithy quickly and went to his bedroom.

He drew the curtains and locked the door. He sat down on the bed with wand-in-hand, just in case. Harry wondered briefly if Regulus would be mad if he found out what Harry was attempting, but he couldn't broad on the thought. His mind had to be clear.

Harry even managed to push down the voice in his head that kept yelling at him for his stupidity.

_Dumbledore wouldn't want you doing this_, a voice in Harry's mind thought; _it's incredibly dangerous and utterly dumb. Do you really want to loose this war before you've even began it?_

Harry ran his index finger over his scar. He closed his eyes and concentrated hard on the scar, on Voldemort, on the part of his mind just beyond him that Voldemort had once influenced his thought from. He pressed as hard as he could.

Harry felt happiness. Voldemort's happiness. Something slipped past him.

'…_Careful, Harry, Dumbledore can't help you…_'

The words, the idea, forced themselves into Harry's mind. They slipped in pasted his disappointment. Harry's eyes shot open. The thought was still there. Harry's scar twinged for a second. He was breathing hard.

Red sparks danced on the end of Harry's wand with his fear for a moment. He would try again another day, when he was better at Occlumency. Voldemort had realized Harry's mind was open for a moment. If it had been only a second longer he could have seen Regulus or Godric's Hallow.

But Voldemort's taunt remained and filled his sleep with nightmares worse than he'd ever had before. Even worse than the nightmare that Voldemort had once inflicted upon this home, which now soaked Harry's old nursery and injured the angels that once stood guard over his innocence.

* * *

Harry suppressed a groan as he woke up in the dark. He felt Ginny, warm and curled up next to him, lying on his arm. He didn't want to leave her or the warmth of the thick quilts and feather-filled duvets but he definitely felt a presence trying to enter the teacher's suite.

_Familiar,_ Harry thought, _but it couldn't be Regulus…he couldn't get into the castle._

Still, Harry gently rolled Ginny off his arm and slid out from under the warm blankets into the cold air. He pulled on a cloak and tucked his wand into the elastic waist of his pyjama pants.

He moved stealthily through the dark, not bothering to light a torch, inspecting the sitting room before moving to the door. He placed his hand on the wood. He opened it a crack, sure enough, through the crack in the door, Harry saw the familiar face of his Godfather's brother. Familiar, though he hadn't seen it since months ago when he ran away from Regulus and Bella's body.

'Regulus?' Harry asked.

'No, Sirius,' he said sarcastically, 'yes, it's Regulus.'

'Why are you here?' Harry hissed, not wanting to wake Ginny in the next room and definitely not wanting to let him near her.

'Let me come in.'

Harry considered his options. Regulus being found in Hogwarts was one thing; he'd tell the Ministry everything they'd done. He let Regulus in; anyway, it wasn't like Regulus could overpower Harry or anything. Ginny would be safe.

'Light a fire, will you?' Regulus said, rubbing his hands together. Harry revived the black embers in the fireplace to roaring flames with a flick of his wand.

'How did you get in?' Harry said, still whispering.

'It wasn't hard. I thought it would be with all the aurors and wards, but it really wasn't. I'm a little disappointed,' Regulus said, not bothering to keep his voice down.

'Who helped you?'

'No one,' Regulus shot, looking a little hurt, 'they never bothered to fill in the passage from the Shrieking Shack to the school.'

Harry made a mental note to warn the aurors about that one.

'So, I haven't seen you in months and you don't even apologize,' Regulus said.

'Apologize?' Harry could have laughed, 'why would I apologize? It's your fault I have to lie under Veritaserum tomorrow. Your fault the Ministry wants to arrest me.'

'Hey,' Regulus said angered, 'I've been following you. Do you really think you would have been able to do half that stuff without me? You should be thanking me and apologizing the deviating from the plan and leaving me to clean up Bella. In case you didn't notice, I can't do magic.'

'I didn't mean to kill her!' Harry said, his voice rising slightly, 'it was an accident.'

'Yeah right,' Regulus said, not believing him, 'I was still left getting away from the scene of a high profile Death Eater's murder without magic and following you around the country-'

'I didn't ask you to do that! I didn't ask you to make me a criminal either!'

'You-'

'Shh!' Harry said, he flicked his wand and Regulus's mouth shut tightly.

He heard Ginny moving in the other room. He tried to sense her to see if she was still sleeping but he was too anxious. Thankfully, it seemed she was.

'Is that Ginny?' Regulus asked, regaining his ability to talk, and apparently not wanting to argue anymore.

'Don't go near her,' Harry said with dark, steely eyes, which glinted in the firelight.

'Wouldn't dream of it,' Regulus said, even as he walked past Harry and peaked in the doorway to the bedroom. Harry grabbed him by the shoulder and wheeled away from the doorway. He glanced at Ginny's sleeping form and shut the door tightly.

'Just wanted to get a look at her, she's in a lot of danger, you know,' Regulus said.

Harry knew he shouldn't rise to the bait. He looked into Regulus's dark eyes and searched for a lie but couldn't find one.

_Draco Malfoy. Death Eaters. Tracking Harry. Found Harry. Found Ginny. Ginny. Danger. Murder. _

'See, just thought I'd warn you,' Regulus said.

_Safety. Godric's Hallow. Wards. Strong wards._

'We could just talk instead of you digging through my mind,' Regulus said.

'I can't bring her to Godric's Hallow,' Harry said. That was what the suggestion was in Regulus's mind. She was definitely in danger, the Death Eaters knew about her, how, neither Regulus now Harry knew. He seemed to think brining her to Godric's Hallow would keep her safe, Harry knew this was true, but didn't like the idea.

'Why not?' Regulus asked.

'Because…she has to stay here. She's got school and her parents wouldn't like her suddenly falling off the map and staying in Godric's Hallow,' Harry said.

Regulus looked disappointed.

'…Don't say I didn't warn you.'

'I think you should go,' Harry said.

Regulus sighed, 'When she's dead you'll come around.'

When he said that, Harry searched Regulus's eyes, but he found no trace of deception or any hint of doubt.

* * *

_REVIEW_


	6. Lies, Codfish and Violent Flames

**Scabbed Wings

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_AN: Sorry for the wait. Wasn't so inspired. Apparently the last chapter sucked, but a huge thanks to my favourite people in the world: HP-Magic, rdprice29, snuffles007, Jeefus, ZanyMuggle, All Knowing One 412, slayerstoryguy, laladoink, andy-may, Parselmaster, Arica, Princess of Rivendell, Jayde Green, Alizee2, knuckz, IrishOreo, Shang Warrior Phoenix, XXRoseDawsonXX, neopyro, Honey P, Junky, SpiffySquee, jackhea, jbfritz._

_Also, my dear sister Jackhea has a story up so check it out.

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UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN (ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES)

AND NORTHERN IRELAND MINISTRY OF MAGIC

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THE NINETEENTH OF DECEMBER, NINETEEN-NINETY-SEVEN

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**VOLUNTARY TESTIMONIAL UNDER VERITASERUM**

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**No. VER938**

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APPROVED FOR USE

The Nineteenth of December, Nineteen-Ninety-Six

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ADMINISTERED BY

Tobias Smith

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ATTESTANT

Harry James Potter

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STATIONED AURORS

Michael Dawlish

Brice Proudfoot

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WITNESSED

The Honourable Rufus Scrimgeour

Dolores Umbridge

Malfalda Hopkirk

Minerva McGonagall (guest)

Remus Lupin (guest)

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LOCATION

London, England, Ministry of Magic Headquarters

Level One, Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Testimonials and Veritaserum Division

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SUMMARY

HARRY JAMES POTTER questioned by TOBIAS SMITH on eleven (11) separate events witnessed around THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND during September of 1997 to December of 1997, which were believed to be DARK MAGICKS (atrum veneficus). Approval was passed for a full five (5) questions with three (3) possible revisions.

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FIRST DRAFT OF QUESTIONS

(1) Are you now, or have you ever, used an Unforgivable Curse (Cruciatus, Imperius, Avada Kedavra)? If the answer is 'yes,' elaborate.

(2) Are you now, or have you ever, intentionally employed magic in such a way that would torture or kill a human (including, but not limited to, muggles, squibs. Not extending to sub or quasi-humans including, but not limited to, giants, vampires, werewolves)? If the answer is 'yes,' elaborate.

(3) Did you knowingly evade Ministry Of Magic officials between the months of September and December of 1997? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

(4) Have you been in contact with any current or former informants of the wizard known as Voldemort, formerly Tom Marvolo Riddle? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

(5) Have you received any training or instruction from a wizard, witch or other being identified on the Official Ministry of Magic List of the Dangerous and Dark? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

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FINAL DRAFT OF QUESTIONS

(1) Are you now, or have you ever, used an Unforgivable Curse (Cruciatus, Imperius, Avada Kedavra) **successfully**? If the answer is 'yes,' elaborate.

(2) Are you now, or have you ever, intentionally employed magic in such a way that would torture or kill a human (including, but not limited to, muggles, squibs. Not extending to sub or quasi-humans including, but not limited to, giants, vampires, werewolves)? If the answer is 'yes,' elaborate.

(3) Did you knowingly evade Ministry Of Magic officials between the months of September and December of 1997? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

(4) Have you been in contact with any current or former **Death Eaters** of the wizard known as Voldemort, formerly Tom Marvolo Riddle? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

(5) Have you received any training or instruction from a wizard, witch or other being identified on the Official Ministry of Magic List of the Dangerous and Dark, **with intentions to use said training or instruction in a harmful manner? **If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

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OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF VERITASERUM QUESTIONING

Recorded By: Alicia Spinnet

Time: 1000

Dosage: 3 Drops (approx. one hour based on age/height/weight)

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Smith: Let's begin. We'll start first with a few simple questions just to verify your identity and to make sure the potion is working. What's your name? 

Potter: Harold Potter

Smith: And, are you sound of mind and spirit?

Potter: Yes

Smith: And one more, will you be telling us the truth today?

Potter: Yes

Smith: Sorry, just my little joke. Everything seems in order, I'll begin the questioning. Are you now, or have you ever, used an Unforgivable Curse, which include the Cruciatus Curse, the Imperius Curse, and the Avada Kedavra Curse successfully? If the answer is 'yes,' then please elaborate.

Potter: No

Smith: Right, question number two. Are you now, or have you ever, intentionally employed magic in such a way that would torture or kill a human, including, but not limited to, muggles and squibs. Not extending to sub or quasi-humans including, but not limited to, giants, vampires and werewolves? If the answer is 'yes,' elaborate.

Potter: No

Smith: Did you knowingly evade Ministry Of Magic officials between the months of September and December of 1997? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

Potter: No

Smith: Have you been in contact with any current or former Death Eaters of the wizard known as Voldemort, formerly Tom Marvolo Riddle? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

Potter: No

Smith: Have you received any training or instruction from a wizard, witch or other being identified on the Official Ministry of Magic List of the Dangerous and Dark, with intentions to use the training or instruction in a harmful manner? If the answer is 'yes,' please elaborate.

Potter: No

Smith: Well, I believe that wraps it up. A private room will be pr-

Umbridge: He's lying

McGonagall: How? He can't lie

Smith: I'm going to need sil-

Umbridge: I don't know how he's done it, but he's lying. We have other witnesses and proof of his guilt

McGonagall: Well there must be some mistake because he couldn't have lied

Smith: Silence, please

Umbridge: You know as well as I do, it is possible to lie or obtain immunity from the effects of Veritaserum

McGonagall: But a teenager couldn't do it-

Umbridge: Someone else could have brewed him an antidote

Smith: Please, everyone, silence is-

Hopkirk: I'm afraid, Dolores, I'm going to have to side with Minerva on this one. It's incredibly unlikely a teenager could fool it

Umbridge: I've got witnesses. I've got surveillance. This boy is a liar. Potter, do you have black hair?

Potter: -

Smith: Any answer on Potter's part must be stricken from the record and recognized as a diversion from the law on the part of Dolores Umbridge and not anyone else in the room. Unpermitted questioning of a non-dangerous wizard warrants a review by the-

Scrimgeour: No need for that.

Smith: Right, well. On this note, the testimonial is officially over. Mister Potter, a private room will be available for your use until the effects of the Veritaserum have dissipated, which will happen within the hour.

* * *

Harry glared coldly at Mundungus Fletcher from his high-backed arm chair, which he had conjured for himself an hour earlier. Dumbledore's old office looked oddly crowded and chaotic as Order members sat in a variety of different chairs. Fletcher had been avoiding Harry's gaze for the better part of that hour and seemed to be sinking further into one of Dumbledore's chairs with a thick cloud of smelly smoke from his pipe helping to obscure his face. 

If anything, Harry's five month sabbatical had served to intensify his resentment towards Fletcher. And, now without Dumbledore around, he felt a compelling urge to become the one to keep the thief in line… at least when it came to Sirius's old possessions.

'…As for You-Know-Who himself,' McGonagall continued, clearly frustrated, 'we have no idea where he is. I had a report the other day he was seen swimming naked in the Irish Sea, but it turned out to be just a large codfish.'

'Does the Ministry know anything?' McGonagall addressed Arthur and Kingsley.

Harry was beginning to regret attending this meeting. They didn't know anything he wasn't already aware of, and Harry had little information he was comfortable with trading. Also, the constant reminders of muggle attacks he hadn't managed to avert had left him feeling more useless and depressed than usual.

'No, but they'll never admit it,' Arthur said.

'They sent out five aurors to investigate that damn codfish,' Kingsley added.

He _had_ to see this fish, Harry thought to himself.

Most of the Order members continued speculating the coming weeks. Harry found it much more interesting to watch a smiling Tonks try to catch Lupin's eye by rapidly changing her hair colour, something Harry was pleased to see she was able to do again.

Dumbledore's portrait snorted a snore behind Harry as the conversation turned to the Veritaserum testimony Harry had taken that morning. It hadn't been an entirely horrid experience. It had been tense and seeing Umbridge again wasn't pleasant, but it was over quickly and had gone as well as could be expected.

'You got the full five questions then? I wonder how they managed that…' Hestia Jones asked Harry.

'Yeah, I can't imagine the reputation I must have at the Ministry,' Harry said.

The curiosity and caution the Order members had treated him earlier made him wonder momentarily if that reputation had spread. But McGonagall and Lupin had explained everything they knew and no one had yet pressed Harry for more details…though Moody's eye hadn't left him alone yet.

Hagrid was still away, most of the Weasleys, save for Arthur, couldn't make it either. Harry didn't mind too much, he was getting tired of hiding things from the people he loved.

'Didn't find anything to arrest you on?' Moody asked.

'Nope,' Harry said brightly, ignoring Moody's suspicious tone, 'Umbridge gave it a try though.'

'She tried to get in a sixth question,' Lupin said, 'Even Scrimgeour is getting tired of it.'

'Too loyal to Fudge, too stubborn to change,' Kingsley said.

'Did they test you for antidotes?' Moody said, unwilling to accept the verdict.

'Three times,' Harry said shortly.

He was getting tired of the suspicion- not that he didn't deserve it. He had ingested an antidote before taking the Veritaserum but after being tested for one, it was an antidote he had made months ago. It was because he made it months ago, before his potion-making skills had developed, that he had added too much armadillo bile and the results were that he could not say anything but lies. Luckily, no one noticed he was forced to lie that his name was 'Harold' though it was 'Harry' and Umbridge's question could not be used.

However … Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall would know he had the ability to lie. Whatever they thought about him, neither had said anything. Harry wished his Occlumency skills were in better shape at the castle so he could see exactly what it was and how careful he should be.

_Really, _Harry though with mild frustration, _neither Snape nor Dumbledore had ever had any trouble with Occlumency or Legilimency at the school- why should he?_

'Well,' McGonagall said, 'is there anything else?' she said. She didn't look at Harry.

No one said anything.

'Then Remus, Nymphadora, Alastor and myself will be supervising transporting students to Hogsmeade for the holidays,' McGonagall said.

'I don't think any of us should relax,' Moody said, 'this would be the perfect time for a huge attack; the Death Eaters know that and would exploit it.'

'On that note, Merry Christmas everyone,' Tonks said.

Conjured chairs popped into smelly-smoke filled air and slowly the tired group made their way out of Dumbledore's old office. Harry waited before moving to leave. Lupin was doing the same, talking to McGonagall. Tonks was hanging off his arm but didn't seem to be interested in whatever they were talking about and left after a few moments later.

The room had cleared and McGonagall had disappeared up one of the staircases. Harry and Lupin left at the same time.

Neither spoke for a moment.

'Solvo Sermo Serum?' Lupin said simply to Harry on the way down the staircase.

'Yes.'

'Too much armadillo bile?'

'Yes.'

'Common mistake.'

'Would the Order...'

'Care?' Lupin finished his sentence as they passed the gargoyle, 'I wouldn't worry. Everyone has secrets and no one in the Order wants you in jail.'

'Really? 'Cause Moody's pretty convincing,' Harry said, putting up his hood.

'Alastor's just being careful. He's been in bad shape lately.'

Harry sank into his hood as they passed a group of students, all of whom recognized him and stared anyway. One waved shyly. They came to a fork where Harry would have turned to go back to the suite, but he wanted to talk to him. Lupin seemed to pick up on this quiet anxiety and paused.

'Why don't we have a cup of tea?' Lupin said slowly, as though trying to decipher what Harry wanted exactly.

Harry nodded.

They walked down another hallway that was too lined with doors that Harry had never entered before. The teacher apartment they entered was much like the one Harry was living in, though it was warm, bright, looked to have been used more often and was lacking a draft.

Lupin flicked his wand and a kettle hopped across the carpet and hung itself from a beam over the already-glowing fire. Lupin retrieved some cups as Harry sat down on the edge of a pale blue sofa.

'What did you want to talk about?' Lupin asked, sitting down.

Harry hesitated. He didn't know what Lupin would think.

'…D-did you know Regulus Black?' Harry asked.

Lupin's eyebrows knotted, it was clearly the last thing he expected to be asked.

'Sirius's brother?'

Harry nodded.

'Yes, but not well. Voldemort killed him a few days after he left the Death Eaters. He was a talented wizard.'

'But what type of wizard was he?' Harry asked carefully.

Lupin looked at Harry curiously.

'Talented, definitely talented. He cared a lot about blood; most of his friends were relations. But he and Sirius never got along, and once Sirius left, Regulus was left alone with his mother,' Lupin said, retrieving the kettle from the fire as it began to whistle.

'Was he friends with Snape?' Harry asked as casually as possible.

'"Friends" might be a strong word. They were both Slytherins and later Death Eaters, but I don't believe they were actually friends.'

_It just didn't make any sense…_

'Where's all this coming from, Harry?'

'I saw a memory with Snape and Regulus in it. They were talking to an old man who knew about the Horcruxes,' Harry lied as Lupin poured tea.

Lupin looked at Harry.

'Are you sure it was genuine? Voldemort never told his Death Eaters the exact measures he used to obtain immortality and there were only two Order members who suspected he was using them.'

'Dumbledore,' Harry said.

'Yes, but that was more recently. During Voldemort's first war, a man named Caradoc Dearborn had thought of them. He tried to tell us but disappeared shortly after.'

'Caradoc Dearborn?' Harry asked, the name sounded familiar, 'the one in Moody's photo?' the memory wasn't clear but when Moody had shown him a photo of all the old Order members, he had definitely mentioned a man named Caradoc Dearborn.

'Disappeared six weeks after that picture was taken,' Lupin said reminiscing.

'Was he an old man?' Harry asked, clawing at every detail he had obtained from Regulus's memory.

'Yes,' Lupin said, 'you think it was Caradoc who informed Severus and Regulus about the Horcruxes?'

'I don't know…'

They were quiet again. Harry cooled his tea and stirred it with his wand.

'Your parents too,' Lupin said, 'they knew as much as that Voldemort was trying to find artifacts of Gryffindor and powerful objects.'

Though Harry was now sure it had been Caradoc he'd seen telling them about the Horcruxes, this, of course, intrigued him.

'My parents knew?'

'They eluded Voldemort three times trying to keep him from some old Gryffindor antiques. They were owned by the Potter family but had ended up scattered and your parents managed to collect all three known artifacts and return them to-'

_Born to those who have thrice defied him… _

'Godric's Hollow.'

Lupin nodded.

'A wand, a necklace and a bottle.'

'Misleadingly dull. They were important, powerful, everything Voldemort wanted.'

'Yeah…' Harry said, concentrating on his tea, 'Professor-'

'Not these days, "Remus" is fine.'

'Okay…it's just, Regu-' Harry changed his mind, 'the aurors don't know about the passage from the Shrieking Shack.'

'I had been monitoring it, but I will mention that to them later tonight.'

Harry's worry was choking him, pressing on his insides. He wanted to shout the truth the Lupin, to tell him Regulus was alive, well, and close-by. He wanted Lupin to reassure him they would make sure no one got near Ginny, for the Order to discuss her safety in the next meeting. The weight of the truth was like lead on his chest, asphyxiating him subtly and silently.

Lupin didn't look satisfied though, he knew there was more to the story.

'Well, I should go,' Harry said in a hurry, 'thanks for the tea.'

'Anytime, Harry, if you need anything…'

'Thanks, Professor.'

'Remus.'

'Right.'

* * *

In the coming days, Harry did reemerge from his dark apartment to eat with his friends. Most of the school had gone home for Christmas and it was much less intimidating to eat in the Great Hall with just the Weasleys, the teachers, and the Order. Hermione had returned home for Christmas Eve and Day but was planning to return from the break early. Ron's parents had sent a note they would be attending the Hogwarts dinner- as many of the other Order members were. 

Harry kept an unusually close watch of Ginny during the break. He didn't want to let her out of his site and, while she didn't mind in the least, Lupin had noticed, as did Hermione before she left. But neither were overly surprised, it had never been a secret that Ginny was in danger, Ginny knew it herself.

He watched her while exhausting every resource he had to try and find Regulus, without leaving the castle or appearing to be doing so. He spoke with every portrait he knew and even some he didn't, he contacted everyone he could and even managed to tap into the floo network, even if it left him soot covered and dizzy for hours.

However, by Christmas Day, Harry had used the logic that Ginny would no longer be in danger if he found Regulus and he had concentrated all his energy on that. He doubted his former mentor would actually be the one to kill her, but he knew something. He knew who was planning to and how they'd do it.

On that faithful night, less than a week ago, Regulus had fled down a 7th floor corridor and disappeared. Harry had gone to the Gryffindor Girls' dorm to try and find Marauders' Map to use, but he was long gone. The sleeping Gryffindor Girls did not appreciate a frantic Harry Potter waking them up in the middle of the night to tear apart Hermione's bed. But quickly forgot their anger when they realized it was a frantic _Harry Potter_ who had woken them up and any hope of finding Regulus on the grounds died as Harry spend precious minutes just trying to shake them off.

Harry had spent the morning of December twenty-fifth in the distant South Tower trying to convince Sir Cadogan to visit his other portrait in a Knockturn Alley. Eventually Harry ended up convincing a large Wolfhound to visit Cadogan and the knight promptly decided he would be safer in Knockturn Alley.

He managed to tear himself away from scanning every floor of Hogwarts with Marauder's Map (Hermione had hid it between her mattresses) just in time for Christmas lunch though. The back of his mind promised himself this would be a Good Bye Meal because he should leave before the night. It wasn't healthy to do nothing but hide and worry. Harry was starting to feel physically ill from it.

And, as Harry suspected, his stomach felt no better to see McGonagall in the place Dumbledore once sat on Christmas Day four years ago. Just over a dozen students, a handful of teachers and most of the Order of the Phoenix would not fill the hall so all the tables were pushed aside and everyone was sitting at the same groaning, food laden table they had used during Harry's third year.

A sixth year Slytherins, two Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaws- including Cho Chang, and a sneak of Weasleys, Arthur, Molly, Fred, George, Ron and Bill, all sat with the teachers, Harry between Ron and Fred, as far from Cho as he could be. Unfortunately, in avoiding Cho, Harry had chosen a seat opposite Mad-Eye Moody and Sybil Trelawney.

The mood was tensely excited. Every time some one pulled a cracker someone else would jump a food in the air and spray the table with pumpkin juice and masticated food. Harry's mind was a thousand miles away, actually, more specifically 412 miles away in Godric's Hollow. He wished he knew if Regulus could still get into the property. No one had ever specified how fussy the wards were when it came to invites.

'Hey,' Ron said as Harry sat down, 'I haven't seen you all morning.'

Moody's eye swiveled in Harry's direction.

'I was reading,' Harry lied. He helped himself to potatoes, which were still quite warm though Harry had arrived late.

'I thought you could have been with Ginny,' Ron said, either not noticing or not caring about Harry's rather obvious lie. Ron began pulling a drumstick off the turkey.

Harry looked around. It was true she wasn't there. It was also true he hadn't seen her for a day or two. Harry's heart began to race and he shot up from his seat at the exact moment Ron won his battle with the bird and pulled off a drumstick rather untidily.

'Have you seen her?' Harry asked Ron in a rushed whisper.

'No, I-'

'Missing girl?' Moody growled, Harry had forgotten about him.

'Has anyone seen her lately?'

There was a chorus of 'no' and Harry could hear his own heart beating. He tore out of the Great Hall, aware Moody was somewhere behind him.

_Calm down,_ Harry thought, _she's probably just in the library. Probably just lost track of time. It's not your fault… but… you should have been watching her!_ Harry walked faster, _calm down… try to sense her…_

Harry found his way to his apartment, quickly finding it empty and reawakening his Map. He scanned the dungeons. The towers. The dorm. The library! The inconspicuous 'Ginny Weasley' dot was sitting in the back of the library.

Map still in hand, Harry ran to the library. He no longer had any idea at all where Moody or Ron or anyone was. He didn't even know he was at the library till he tore through the doors.

'Ginny!' Harry called.

_Something is wrong,_ Harry thought, _something has gone wrong._

Whether he was able to sense it again, or whether he saw the signs, he knew she was in danger… or recently had been.

He was right.

Moody rounded the doors into the library, running with his odd gate just as Harry saw a red haired figure lying motionless on the floor. Harry scooped her wilted body into his arms, as his eyes became very suddenly lined with crimson blood and every bookshelf in the library erupted into violent flames.

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_REVIEW! This time I've giving you codfish eyes! _


	7. The Wand Makers' Coven

**Scabbed Wings

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Truth be told, Albania was nothing like Harry had pictured it. Not that he had existed serious thought into what Albania looked like, but he had always had the impression it must be dark and ominous- possibly because the only times he ever heard about it were in reference to Voldemort.

However, when Harry and Regulus arrived in Tirana he found it to be beautiful and bright… though this may simply be because he had spent too much time cooped up in Godric's Hallow recently.

But the relaxation and happiness Harry felt was coupled with incredible anxiety at what they were about to do. He was numbly aware of the objects in his backpack as they left Godric's Hallow and apparated into London. Harry was far too nervous to marvel at the Floo Hub they went to, dozens if not hundreds of fireplaces going all around the world and possibly the warmest room he'd ever stepped into.

And, when Harry successfully jumped out of the fire early (so they wouldn't have to go through Albanian customs on the other end) he was the most surprised. They crept out of the hat store that they had jumped into and had been making the rest of the journey on foot as Harry didn't know enough about Albania to apart and Regulus didn't have enough power.

It was a cool, damp day and Harry could taste the sea and the sun warmed his face as it began to decline in the late afternoon. Even when they entered the Dark Forest, Harry couldn't feel alarmed by the prospect of werewolves and vampires when he remembered what they were there for.

Regulus was positively giddy.

'It won't be too much further,' Regulus said, 'once the trees start turning black we're close.'

Harry could feel the magic in the air. Some red and gold sparks accidentally shot from his wand in response.

'Careful, don't want to attract anything,' Regulus warned, but didn't look too concerned.

Soon the sun had been blocked out and in the dark forest, the trees indeed became black. The leaves shone charcoal and silver as the path they had been following dissolved into the brush. He checked his backpack, everything was still there.

'Regulus,' Harry said, he was miraculously calmed almost instantly when the forest became dark- it was unnatural, 'I feel…'

'Bizarre, isn't it!' Regulus grinned, 'distorts people's perceptions and ideas. Makes them insane- can't decide whether they're happy or sad, good or evil. Not to worry though, it can be overpowered.'

_Good or evil… could that have been what happened to Quirrel?_ Harry wondered, _he entered the forest a good man but left as Voldemort's vessel._

'The Dark Lord,' Regulus said, 'he knows how to manipulate it. Manipulate whatever energy it is that does that, it kept him alive. This is the most magical place on the earth, and the most dangerous.'

They walked further into the forest, it grew darker and Harry found himself excited. Nervous still, yes, but also, excited. This would be how he gains his power; this would be what keeps him alive. Absorbing the knowledge that seep out from the thoughts Voldemort and Regulus was one thing, but this would make him his own powerful entity. Put him in a new category.

'Direction?' Regulus asked Harry.

'Point Me,' Harry told his wand.

'Should be nearly there,' Regulus muttered. Harry hoped they arrived soon because he could feel someone or something following them.

Moments after he said that, the trees broke into a wide clearing. Harry stepped into it tentatively as Regulus burst in. The older wizard yelled with joy. Harry carefully remained on the perimeter for a moment.

The flat earth was the purest silver Harry had ever seen, it shone white in the sun that streamed in through the trees. Thick trunks stood like guards in a perfect circle around them, strong and towering. At one edge of the clearing, sat a stone cabin. Unassuming and moss covered, Harry still felt drawn to it.

Oddly enough, however, Regulus didn't even seem to see it. Harry walked carefully into the clearing, the silver ground was soft beneath his feet and he did not make a footprint. Harry stopped dead. Regulus was still looking around, examining the dirt, but Harry could feel someone behind him.

'Can't say I expected you here,' said a familiar voice.

Harry felt his wand beneath his fingers. He spun around and ducked to avoid an attack that never happened. The man, who had surprised him, didn't even have his wand out.

'Mister Ollivander?' Harry said in surprise.

Ollivander looked away from Harry for a moment his face was more deeply creased than Harry remembered and there were pale blue circles under his eyes, but he was wearing silver robes with intricate black and white embroidery going down his shoulders, Harry had never seen anything like them, even in the robe shops. And, ignoring the young man's surprise, 'You can see it, can't you?' he asked.

'What?' said Harry. The wizard looked older than ever. _So he was in hiding? Not dragged away by Death Eaters, as many had assumed?_

'Do you see a stone building over there?' Ollivander asked.

Harry glanced over at the cabin, how could someone miss it?

'Yes,' Harry said slowly, his brow furrowed. Harry was somewhat aware that Regulus was no longer in sight; he imagined he must be exploring the surrounding forest.

'Hmm,' Ollivander said, he looked tired, 'I suppose there's not much to be done about that.'

'I don't understand,' Harry said, quickly looking back at the cabin. Clear as day it seemed, but with as much time as Harry had spent in the wizarding world, he was no longer naïve enough to think there was anything simple about the building.

Ollivander began walking, Harry followed him.

'Mister Potter… how much do you know about your mother's occupation?' Ollivander asked as they walked.

'I don't know, not much,' Harry said. It wasn't from lack of curiosity that Harry didn't know what she did, it was simply that no one else really had a clear idea either, it seemed.

'She was my apprentice, she trained to be a Wand-Maker, I hand picked her out of thousands of students around the world, you see, there can never be too many Wand-Makers at one time to preserve balance and the training can take years, if not, decades,' they had stopped walking at the round, wooden door of the stone building.

Ollivander pushed the heavy door open in front of Harry.

'Before she died, she became a member of the Wand-Makers' Coven. And this building, where we stand, is the trade's ancient home.'

Inside were a few arm chairs, a round table and a blue, crackling fire at one end. At the other end, there was a large and ornate scale as tall as Harry with black disks on either plate holding it balanced and some type of magic that veined through the metal. There was also a large cabinet and another doorway, though Harry hadn't seen this one from the outside. It was a step lower than the rest of the floor and was covered with dozens of sheets of silk, which looked delicate and wispy enough to float, though they hung still without a flutter.

Harry walked back over to Ollivander, realizing he had wandered in without meaning to.

'Other people can't see this?' Harry asked, though it looked harmless and quaint.

'Only those who have been trained as Wand-Makers and know the teachings can see this place,' Ollivander said somewhat gravely, 'they are the only ones thought to know how to keep it safe.'

'Why can I?' Harry asked.

'It seems, when your mother died, you inherited that right from her. Mister Potter, you are left with an incredible responsibility. All the wizarding magic is preserved here and has been for millennia. You must _not_ abuse this power. There are wizards out there wanting to corrupt the balance and would do anything to come here.'

'But if they can't see it-'

'A member of the Wand-Makers' Coven, as you apparently are, can let others in the door, it will appear for them and, once inside, the power in here has no defense. It's a part of the Fidilius Charm that keeps it safe, only the most selfless and noble wizards have ever been invited,' Ollivander paused in front of the scale, 'your mother was incredibly talented with Potions and Charms, but beyond that, I chose her because she understood magic and its balance. Although you didn't choose this, and haven't been trained, Mister Potter, it is your responsibility to do the same.'

Harry didn't say anything for a moment. Ollivander's eyes were burning into him, as if to impress the importance of what he had said- though there was no need. Another destiny, another job he didn't choose. He wished Ollivander would look away.

'I-I have to find Reg-, I'm supposed to-'

'Mister Potter, I know why you're here. There are very few reasons that a wizard would venture this far into the Dark Forest and risk the retributions of doing magic here.'

Harry froze as though he was a child in trouble.

_I'm not doing anything wrong, though, _Harry reasoned with himself, _this is all for the greater good._

'I'm not going to stop you,' Ollivander said, 'sometimes the end does justify the means.'

Neither moved for a moment. Harry looked at the ground. He felt heat rise to his face, though he had no idea why.

'Remember what I've said. And be careful of anything your companion tries to tell you here, the mind is very impressionable in the forest; the strongest wizards have come out frail and the moral have left as murderers.'

It reminded him of what Regulus had said earlier but he didn't bother brooding on it. There were more important things to do, things he had decided to do long before his mind was compromised. He felt Ollivander's hand on his shoulder for a moment; Harry gave a small nod and left the cabin as quickly as possible.

He strode to the edge of the clearing, where, he hoped; Ollivander could no longer see him from the window. He didn't even have time to gather his thoughts before Regulus appeared out of the trees.

'There you are,' Regulus said, walking to Harry, 'where'd you go? You aren't scared, are you?'

'No, I…' Harry paused. Should he tell Regulus about the Coven? He was so accustomed to telling him everything, but Ollivander seemed to make such a point about the secrecy… 'went into the forest… I thought I had heard something.'

'I thought you might have found the home of the Wand-Maker's Coven,' Regulus said very simply.

Harry took a step away from him, 'How…?'

'Harry, you forget, I was a Death Eater. We knew more about your family than you do,' Regulus said somewhat sinisterly, 'did anyone see us? Is there anyone in there?' Regulus eyed him.

Harry put up a stronger mental defense than he had ever used with Regulus before, the one he saved for Voldemort out of nervousness.

'No, it was empty,' Harry lied.

'If there was someone in there, Harry, we'd have to get rid of them. No one can see us do this or you'll get the kiss. Did anyone see us?'

Harry's eyes locked with Regulus's. He pressed into his mind. Regulus knew there was someone in there, someone must have told Harry to keep it a secret, they'd have to kill that person or they couldn't proceed. Make the Agoncrux and so Harry could help Regulus with… Regulus looked away and Harry lost the connection.

'No, there's no one there.'

'Harry, you're going to learn you have to trust me. We're so alike in some ways, we need to stay together, ours is a high and lonely destiny.'

* * *

When Ginny woke up in the hospital wing in late January, she was more confused than anything else. Family and teachers surrounded her for hours that first day. They asked her everything from 'do you know your name?' to 'do your teeth hurt?' and, of course, 'what happened?' Though it seemed she knew less than anyone else. She barely remembered being in the library, let alone what happened. 

The difficult decision was made not to inform the public of an attack on a student within the Hogwarts walls. The very last thing they needed was to discredit both the safety of the school and the competence of the aurors sworn to protect it- though word did reach the Ministry.

Since then, for the last two days, she had been kept in a small, private room off the hospital wing that she didn't know existed. Harry was there too, but he still wasn't conscience.

Ginny looked over at him. He looked so powerless, pale and motionless, his eyes closed and hands lying neatly at his sides. She watched his still body for a moment, his chest rising and falling, she half expected him to wake up if she made any movement.

The mystery that was Harry Potter served only to deepen after the incident. Moody was there to witness it and bring them both out of the library as the sprinklers were triggered by the flames. Madame Pince had sworn up and down it had to be impossible to set those shelves on fire as it would take 'a disgusting amount of power' and, though no one said it- at least in front of Ginny, Harry had managed it.

She was told that she was poisoned and nearly killed. Harry had performed a very raw version of the healing she had seen him practice upon the students the night he arrived and took the brunt of the damage into his own body. And, though many of his visitors were pessimistic, Ginny had no doubt he would recover soon… he had to… he mind wouldn't let her think she killed him.

Ginny turned out to be correct, and, on the evening of her third night awake in the hospital, while she did homework and thought of new arguments to convince Madame Pomfrey to let her leave, she saw Harry stir. She thought at first it was her imagination, but Ginny watched Harry and his lips began to move. He muttered something she couldn't hear and Ginny leapt from her bed and to his side.

'Harry?' she said quietly.

He groaned and his eyes blinked open. They shone emerald in the full moon's light coming in the window. She smiled with relief.

'Harry,' she repeated.

His eyes traveled around the room for a moment before resting on her.

'Ginny?' he said.

'Yeah,' she answered. Then she couldn't stop herself. She jumped onto his bed and hugged him tightly. She could have cried with happiness, 'are you ok?' she didn't even notice a portrait on the wall slide out of his frame.

Harry squirmed his was out of the hug. Ginny fell back, kneeling on the foot of his bed. She didn't think anything of it, he was probably still just confused and the hug was rather tight. He looked at her warily.

Harry put his hand in his hair and closed his eyes, in deep thought.

'Do you remember anything?' he asked abruptly. Seemingly not caring he had been unconscious for a few weeks, 'who it was who poisoned you? Anything?'

Ginny withdrew slightly. Harry wasn't acting like himself.

'I-I don't know, I don't remember anything,' she said for the hundredth time in three days, 'Harry, what's wrong? What's going on?'

She tumbled back as Harry whipped the covers back and got out of bed. He wasn't a few steps from the bed when his legs faltered and he stumbled, grabbing the stone wall to keep from falling.

'Madam Pomfrey said it would take some time to get back to normal because your muscles haven't been used for a month,' Ginny said.

His face fell when he heard 'a month.'

'Where's my wand?' Harry asked, not looking at her, still grasping the wall.

'I think all your things are over there, Ginny said sadly, why wouldn't he look at her? Did he think it was her fault?

Harry stumbled to the night stand she pointed at and found his wand. She watched from his bed as he changed out of the hospital robes and into his own, she didn't dare ask him again.

Just as Harry was finished changing and he began to turn to leave, the door opened and a group of people rushed in. Madam Pomfrey at the head, followed by Ron, Hermione and, surprisingly, Luna. Ginny was not sure Luna was even in the loop about the attack.

'Mister Potter! Get back in that bed!' Madam Pomfrey scolded him. Harry didn't seem to notice or care and tried to slip past the group, 'what's that? A strength charm? Those aren't healthy on atrophied muscles,' she attempted to herd him back into the bed but Harry pushed her to the side.

'Harry!' Hermione said, Luna had shied into a corner. Ron stood at the foot of Ginny's bed and Ginny remained on the end of Harry's. Harry froze at Hermione's words. He looked torn for a moment but didn't move to leave.

Madam Pomfrey looked slightly shocked at being pushed aside.

'Look,' Harry said, 'I'm fine. I just have to go now.'

'You are not fine. You will remain here for the rest of the night,' Madam Pomfrey said. She grabbed his bicep and pushed him down to sit on his bed, 'and if there's anymore of this trying-to-leave-tonight nonsense, I'll inform the Head Mistress.'

Harry didn't bother resist but his eyes shot daggers into the ground. Hermione, Ron and Ginny openly stared at him. Luna was closely examining her own nails.

'You'll never believe everything that's happened since you two have been in here,' Luna said quite freely, though the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Madame Pomfrey was giving Harry different potions to take, which he did without a word, 'me and my dad were having dinner in the Hog's Head the night you were attacked, and Stubby Boardman walked in.'

Hermione still looked deadly serious and Harry gave no notion of hearing her, but Ginny glanced at Ron, whose face had cracked into a smile and he gestured as though Luna was crazy. Ginny rolled her eyes.

'He got in a fight with Draco Malfoy, it got pretty vicious and we left but the bartender took him to Saint Mungo's,' Luna said, she turned her gaze to the window, 'full moon.'

Harry looked up; Ginny didn't think he looked quite as angry as before. She wished she could have another moment to talk with him. The portrait over the beds slipped back into his frame after successfully alerting another, which Luna, Ron and Hermione had overheard.

'Malfoy's in Saint Mungo's?' Harry asked Luna.

'Yep, he was in worse shape than the two of you. The Ministry is having him sent straight to Azkaban when he recovers though,' Luna said, still staring at the moon, 'and a month ago, when the Ministry was saying how many dementors were dying and corrupting, well now-'

'They've healed,' Harry said gravely.

Luna nodded, not caring that Harry shouldn't have known about that yet.

'And they're even breeding,' Luna added.

'That's enough of all that. You shouldn't be concerned about it right now,' Madam Pomfrey said, finishing her examination and moving to leave, 'and don't even think about trying to leave tonight,' she said, closing the door behind her and, surprisingly, allowing Harry and Ginny the visitors.

There was a loud ringing sound as Luna's watch went off. She too left, saying she was late for an appointment with Professor Sinistra.

Once Madam Pomfrey had left, and Luna was gone, Harry got out of bed again- not acknowledging Ron or Hermione- neither of whom he had said a word to.

'Harry, tell us, what's going on? What's wrong?' Hermione said.

Harry looked at her for a moment before turning to Ginny.

'I don't think it's safe for you here anymore,' he said, looking pained.

Ginny was just so glad he wasn't angry with her; she didn't care where they went, as long as she wasn't left behind again.

'Where then, Harry?' Ginny asked.

'I know a place,' he responded.

'Ginny,' Ron piped up, 'you can't leave. Mum and Dad-'

'Would rather have me alive than in Hogwarts,' Ginny said.

No one spoke for a moment. Ginny flushed at the thought of what she had just said and where ever she was about to go. Ron had a peculiar look on his face.

'I don't think Ginny should go alone,' Ron said finally to Harry.

Harry nodded, but didn't look at Ron, 'Yes… and I don't think it's safe for either of you to be here also.'

Hermione didn't put up a fight. Ginny thought she might object to taking time out of her final year to go hide somewhere, but she said nothing. She looked at Harry; he looked truly distressed at what he had just asked his friends to do.

'Harry, it's alright, you know,' Ron said, 'we were planning to go with you anyway, remember, we wanted to, you just left without us.'

'There are things more important than school work,' Hermione said.

Rain began to fall softly outside the window and clouded over the moon.

'We have to go now,' Harry said, 'if Voldemort's found a way to keep the dementors from corrupting, it might already be too late.'

Ron, Hermione and Ginny exchanged looks but didn't question him. Nor did they go back to Gryffindor Tower to retrieve anything, Harry's urgency was apparent and no one wanted to upset him and risk losing time. Ginny had no idea there was any risk for Voldemort's dementors corrupting before but she did understand why dementors healing and breeding was a bad thing.

Harry sneaked them out of the hospital wing rather effortlessly, though he could still barely walk. Ginny lagged behind the rest of the group at the beginning, but once Harry noticed this, he walked close to her, obsessively checking around corners and behind them every few minutes.

He continued like this all through the school, and, somehow, only led them down hallways that were empty- though he had no apparent way to tell. They moved like a shadow across the dark and damp grounds, lit silver by the moon.

However it was that they got past the guarding aurors, Ginny had no idea. Harry had done something silently with his wand and they were able to walk right through the gates, less than a meter from the guards, without being noticed or objected to.

From there, they walked down the dark path to Hogsmeade, their wands lit and Ginny noticed Ron was rather concerned about the dark forest and occasional sounds of snapping twigs. Harry barely paid notice, but Ginny knew Bill's attack had affected Ron personally. He had always seen Bill as having the perfect life, but so much could change in one night.

They stopped at the edge of the town. Ron held his wand high, wanting to go closer to the light, where they might be safer, but he made no motion to do so.

'I'll apparate us there,' Harry whispered, casting a look over his shoulder, sure he had heard something.

Ginny clutched Harry's arm and she was squeezed breathless by the abyss between Hogsmeade and the destination. In the split second before reaching it, she wondered how on earth he could manage apparating four people at once.

Other than a slightly more woody smell and the change of place of distant lights, there was barely any indication they had traveled. Ginny looked around, still clutching Harry's arm he pulled away from her and walked in front of the small group. This path was much smaller and more overgrown than the Hogsmeade one. Harry stopped in front of tall gates interrupting a high stone wall and muttered something to them.

Ginny squinted in the dark, trying to make out the words written in black iron on the top of the gate. She held her lit wand up.

'Godric's Hallow,' Harry answered before she could ask. Indeed, that was too what the elaborate letters wrote.

Ginny didn't say anything as they passed through the gates. She remained a few paces from Harry and, though he kept looking back to check on her, he made no movement to get closer. This coldness, coupled with her exhausted, could have made her cry. He blamed her for getting attacked (or something) and she was starting to blame herself.

How could she be so careless? So stupid? All the D.A., all the warning she had that she was a target? And now Harry was angry, blaming her, not even willing to talk to her.

'Are you ok?' Hermione asked her, just quiet enough so Ron and Harry didn't hear.

Realizing she must look upset, she said, 'Yes,' quickly, not looking at Hermione.

Hermione stopped walking; Ron and Harry didn't and continued to a large dark building, silhouetted by the moon and standing by a shimmering, black lake. Ginny stopped too. She turned to Hermione, she wanted to continue. She didn't want to make this worse. She heard a small popping sound behind her but ignored it.

Hermione put her index finger under Ginny's chin and raised it till Ginny looked at her. She met Hermione's concerned eyes. She didn't let a tear fall but there was a burning in her throat that begged her to do so. Hermione threw her arms around and stepped towards Ginny in a deep hug.

'Listen,' she whispered into Ginny's ear, 'there's something going on here. There's something wrong with Harry, he would _never_ act like this normally. Ginny, I promise, this isn't him. Maybe whatever happened did something to him but Madam Pomfrey promised any side-effects fade in a few days.'

Ginny closed her eyes and gave a small smile in Hermione's sweet scented hair. Trust Hermione to think of a good explanation. They broke the hug before Harry and Ron reached the front doors of the building. The girls jogged to reach them; Harry noticed but didn't ask either witch anything.

Yes, it was still her fault that Harry was now twice landed in the hospital wing within a few weeks. And it was possibly also her doing that she made Harry remain at Hogwarts while Voldemort was making progress outside. And maybe it was even her fault that-

'Ginny, remember what I said… don't worry about it,' Hermione said. Ron heard and cast a look to them but said nothing.

'So this is where you've been,' Ron said to Harry.

The large doors opened and the group was greeted by two house elves. They squeaked with joy when they saw Harry and enthusiastically greeted Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

The female house elf, Cheshire, took Ginny by the hand, 'He's mentioned you before, Miss,' she smiled and blushed. Then Harry gave the elf a dirty look and her heart fell.

Cheshire held her hand tightly when she tried to move further in the house with the rest of the group.

'Master Potter is not well, I can sense it,' said the elf to her, 'Master Potter will get better.'

Ginny nodded, hoping the house elf and Hermione were right.

Godric's Hallow was impressive. It was a small castle to rival any residence, excluding Hogwarts, which Ginny had ever been in. Magic seemed to pulse through the walls, Cheshire gave them a tour while Smithy went to prepare rooms for all and Harry disappeared into the drawing room.

The manor was littered with ancient artworks and tapestries blocking out the cold and damp. There was proof Harry had been living here, in neat piles of scrolls in living room and a dining room table covered with more potions and equipment than area to eat. Harry's Firebolt was leaning against an empty cabinet with its doors hanging wide open in the dining room.

As Cheshire told them a rather generic history of the house- clearly leaving out details, Ginny noticed the other elf go into the drawing room, where Harry was. Ginny left the group, crossing the dining room and entrance hall to the tall wooden drawing room door. She looked in and saw a sliver of Harry hiding books, papers and various objects in tall dressers.

'Master Potter don't you think you should wait here to get better before leaving?' squeaked the elf.

'Is there any strength potion left?' Harry asked the elf, ignoring the advice.

'Yes, Master Potter, two vials,' Smithy answered, 'shall I fetch them for you?'

'In a moment,' Harry said. Ginny could see a silver of him take off his cloak, 'just try to keep them out of the nursery and here.'

'And if Mister Black returns?' Smithy asked.

Ginny gasped at these words. _Sirius Black?_ she wondered.

Harry got up startled, hearing her gasp. He eyed her through the sliver and pushed the door shut, not saying a word to her. Ginny took off back to Ron and Hermione, knocking over a chair as she ran.

'Ginny, where-'

'There's something really wrong going on here,' Ginny said to Ron and Hermione, 'I just heard Harry talking about Sirius coming here.'

'You don't think…' Hermione gasped, 'Harry wouldn't have tried to bring Sirius back.'

'No… but… I don't know,' Ginny said.

'Bloody hell,' Ron swore just as Harry reappeared, 'just what is going on here, Harry?'

'I have to go,' Harry said to Ron and Hermione, 'just stay here for now. I've got to figure out what happened to Ginny.'

'What about Sirius?' Ron said.

'Sirius?' Harry said with genuine surprise on his face, 'oh… that's nothing.'

'Where are you going?' Ginny asked.

Harry paused before answering, '…Saint Mungo's… I'm going to see what happened to Malfoy… I'll be back in the morning.'

'Well, we should-' Ron began.

'No,' Harry interrupted, 'I've got to do this alone. But when I come back I'll know what's going on and who was in Hogwarts.'

'Harry-' Ginny started but Harry ignored her and left them standing in the hallway. She listened as she heard each heavy door shut, finally the one out of the castle and she knew Harry had left.

They were all silent for a moment, even the house elves.

'Cheshire…' Ginny said softly, 'why would Harry think Sirius was coming here?'

The house elf looked torn, 'Like I was saying, Miss Weasley. Master Potter is not well…'

* * *

_AN: I'm still on vacation and internet access is 2100yen (ARGH!) so I'm sorry for letting this take so long- which means, yes, I did do a rewrite- though it wasn't as bad or rushed as I thought it would be. _ _REVIEW! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! OR- OR- OR I'LL... CRY! THAT'S RIGHT, I'LL CRY! I HAVE 1000000 EYES AND CAN SEE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND, if you don't review, THOSE EYES WILL SHOOT LASER BEAMS! HA! THAT'S RIGHT! LASER BEAMS! REVIEW UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE LASER-ED:)_

08/28/05- edit, got rid of Harry's ability to 'apate'- whatever that was. And kicked Mme Pince's evil twin Mme Prince out of the story

09/04/05- editted out 'should I con't question', no need anymore


	8. The Mysterious Stubby Boardman

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

Harry smiled fugitively in the cold, moonlit night as he pried open one of St. Mungo's frost-covered windows.

_Wizards never think to protect against muggles,_ Harry thought.

He was right to be proud of himself. After spending the better part of an hour avoiding detection in the cold while still trying to get into the hospital undetected, experimenting with every spell, charm, incantation, hex, curse and even a few spontaneously-made potions, it was a crowbar that got him in.

As far as he knew, there was still no official warrant out for his arrest, but Harry knew better than to think that the Ministry (or the Order of the Phoenix) would ever allow him to freely move about the country. St. Mungo's kept track of people entering for any reason and were very careful with them. He doubted there would be any carelessness at all in the security given to someone on their way to Azkaban.

But, there he was, using the elementary principles of leverage even Dudley could understand to outsmart the wizards- and they believed muggle technology was worthless, maybe Mr. Weasley was onto something…

Harry tucked the crowbar behind some bushes and brushed some snow over it with his numb fingers then hoisted himself shakily into the window frame. He desperately hoped to find something to relieve this weakness, the longer it continued, the more of a liability it became.

He landed awkwardly in the warm St. Mungo's hallway. Harry shut the window as quietly as possible and steadied himself for a moment with the window frame. It was dark and deserted, the sounds of people talking were somewhere in the distance. Harry jogged down the hall, not a clue in his mind where he was going.

_There must be a book or chart of where everyone is in the office, _Harry thought, changing his direction to go towards where the secretary usually was. Harry heard a noise and fell into a shadow, he watched as a healer passed by, comforting a crying young woman. Harry pulled himself up.

Around the corner he saw a few desks grouped together surrounded by bookshelves full of charts and some lazy paper-airplanes landing in piles in the inbox. As it was hospital, and never really slept, there was a young, dark-haired witch chewing on her quill and occasionally writing out forms. Harry watched for a few minutes as she yawned and put her head in her hand, her eyes fluttering open and closed.

Harry aimed his wand at her.

'Somnus,' he whispered as a wispy blue light struck her between the shoulder blades. The witch slumped over, snoring faintly. Harry looked carefully around before moving to her side, he pushed the witch gently off the documents her head lay on.

Sure enough, when Harry pushed aside her dark curls, he saw a Marauder's Map-like layout of the entire hospital. A dot labeled 'Draco Malfoy' was stationary on the fourth floor- Spell Damage, in the small Ward 47. There was another dot labeled 'Casper Williamson,' pacing around Malfoy, Harry assumed this must be the same Williamson that he had seen once trying to arrest Dumbledore guarding Malfoy and, after he moved the witch back into place, he began thinking of ways to get past the auror.

The hard part wasn't doing so, if he wished, he could likely out duel him, but doing so undetected and unnoticed was more difficult. Harry walked through the maze of hallways to the Fourth Floor and found Ward 47 with the light of his wand as no torches were lit there. Harry pressed his ear against the door, hearing nothing.

'Nox,' he whispered.

He tried to relax his mind but it was impossible as he had to expend considerable thought just convincing his legs to keep him standing straight. He tried again. Harry could feel the auror on the other side of the door, strong, confident, powerful, utterly bored and looking for a fight. Despite his weakening, Harry still felt he could beat Williamson in a duel.

Harry pushed the door open a crack when he was sure Williamson was looking the other way. He pointed his wand at Malfoy's pale body, handcuffed to the bed and unmoving.

'Permoveo.'

Malfoy's body began shaking, violent fits of seizures. His back arched unnaturally as Williamson rushed to his side, terrified his charge was going to die before experiencing Azkaban. Harry dived into a shadow as the auror ran from the room to find a healer. Harry removed the stopper preventing the door from locking once the auror had rounded a corner. He listened hard. Williamson was gone, but he would return soon.

'Finis,' Harry muttered, going to Malfoy's side. His body fell limp again, his pale hair now in disarray and pink bruises forming on his wrists where they strained against the handcuffs.

_Yes, _Harry thought, _there was probably an easier way to achieve this…but it doesn't matter… no one will know anyway._

And Harry felt some sick approval in seeing Malfoy like this. The teenager shared some of the burden of blame Harry laid on the ones responsible for Dumbledore's death. Now… however… he didn't look the least bit of any kind of rival.

Harry noticed something on Malfoy's arm. He gently pulled up Malfoy's sleeve, there, seared into his pale flesh, was the Dark Mark. Harry didn't know what he expected. It shouldn't have been a surprise, he'd known for over a year Malfoy had one… but actually seeing it… someone he'd known since they were children… Harry could feel whispers of Voldemort's immense power on it.

He hastily covered it back up and began routing through the file, marked 'CONFIDENTIAL' in bold letters, lying next to Malfoy's bed. He scanned over it quickly, knowing Williamson would be returning soon.

…_born 06/05/80 (21:07), weighting 3.5kg, to Narcissa Malfoy…_

Harry flipped to another page in the file.

…_admitted 03/28/89 (12:45), broken arm and bruising, Quidditch accident, no further investigation, treated with…_

Harry leafed to the end, he didn't have much time.

…_admitted 12/26/97 (00:54), sever spell damage. Brought to St.MHMMI by Aberforth Dumbledore past midnight. The obvious effects of a duel and possible, later confirmed, ingestion of a Doxycide, likely the result of poisoning. When first admitted, unconsciousness was accompanied by fever (104°), unresponsive to light. _

Aberforth Dumbledore? The man with the goats? Some one was coming. Harry heard them struggling to get in the locked door.

…_Evidence of use of Cruciatus, physical dueling resulting in a broken arm, two broken ribs, a punctured lung, bruising and other superficial damage…_

As the door was knocked messily off its hinges, Harry dropped the folder and slipped behind a cabinet in the shadowy corner. Williamson and the healer rushed to Malfoy's side, checking him frantically for signs of life. Harry waited a beat and slipped out the door. He ran down the darkened hall, slowing to an unsuspicious walk after a while. He had to get out. The healer might be able to tell a charm was used on Malfoy.

He still had to get something to strengthen his muscles though. Harry felt as though he could keel over, and being weak wasn't something he could afford after being out of commission for a month. He stopped outside one of the medical potion storage rooms. There would be something for him there.

'Alohomora,' he whispered.

Nothing. Too easy.

'Patefacio,' he tried.

Still nothing. Harry only knew one more unlocking charm and he wasn't sure he could do it in his current condition. Though, in his current, worsening condition, he was no longer sure he could win a duel. He had to get in.

'Aperio,' he whispered and, with his left hand, brushed the door with his fingertips.

He heard it click and leant on the door heavily, slipping into the room and to the other side of the door. The room was small, perfumed, and suffocatingly dark.

'Lumos,' the silver light from the tip of Harry's wand filled the room, illuminating shelves of glass bottles and casting their eerie shadows on the walls.

It was on the shelf labeled 'experimental' that Harry found something he might be able to use. A blue gourd-shaped bottle labeled '**Muscle Refresher**, use sparingly, (powdered dragon heart, powdered Graphorn, mandrake, Runespoor fangs) EXPERIMENTAL, use only with supervision, Augustus Pye.'

As Harry downed the chalky potion, and felt it sink into his tongue and throat, he recalled a time he might have hesitated. Of course, that was long before the long days he spent in Godric's Hollow experimenting on his own. The two vials of strengthening potion he had been so careful to bring, hadn't worked, only making it worse, so, he would trust another's experimentation… hopefully a well trained healer who knew what he was doing.

Harry fell to his knees painfully on the stone floor. His tongue burned. Harry started to cough. It was soon a violent hacking the left him on his hands and knees. Pain radiated through his veins… then… it began to subside. The pain was replaced by an icy sensation and a sudden burst of energy. Harry jumped to his feet cat-like as he felt his muscles swell. All the feelings slowed to a stop stopped.

He looked around, hoping no one had heard him. Then, curiously… slowly… Harry pulled his robes back and his shirt up over his stomach.

'I wonder if that will last…' Harry whispered to himself, observing his slightly swollen abdominal muscles, which now looked quite defined and most impressive. If there wasn't such a good chance someone may walk in, Harry would have considered checking more of his muscles. He decided against it and pocketed the bottle before leaving the room.

He slithered nimbly from shadow-to-shadow before lithely getting out the window, easily clinging to the wall for a moment before leaping into the snow. He sprinted away from St. Mungo's, though there really was no need; he simply had so much energy and his muscles tickled to be used.

Harry knew where he was going, back to Hogsmeade, to the Hog's Head to talk to the bartender. He crouched behind a dumpster where Harry knew no muggle or wizard would see him before apparating into Hogsmeade with a loud cracking sound.

When Harry's body was no longer compressed, and he was able to take a breath again, he opened his eyes to the dingy pub's door, lit orange in the cool dawn. And, when Harry entered the pub, he saw that the dinginess he remembered continued inside. There were a few broken tables leaning in splintered pieces against the wall and the old bartender Harry remembered was pushing a mop over ominous red stains on the wooden floor. He didn't stop when Harry walked in, but did give him a fugitive look over his mop.

''Lo,' Harry said to the bartender, standing on the edge of the bar.

The bartender grunted and stopped mopping. He looked right at Harry from behind long stringy hair with familiar blue, bespectacled eyes.

'Potter,' he said, it wasn't a question, he seemed to have almost been expecting him.

Harry struggled to place the man's face.

'You took someone to Saint Mungo's last night? He got in a fight?'

He grunted again.

'Who was fighting with him?' Harry asked, no idea where he was going with the line of questioning. He simply knew that there was something strange going on if a Death Eater could be beaten into the hospital wing and no other Death Eaters retaliated. It couldn't be an auror, they would never resort to something as primitive as poisoning with Doxycide, and no Order member would do it. Harry was beginning to wonder if it could be a clash within the Death Eater ranks. If so, was it Malfoy or his opponent defying Voldemort, because, surely, the only thing that would warrant this was defying Voldemort?

Harry knew why someone had attacked Ginny. Magic was falling out of balance and it was corrupting the dementors, Voldemort must have guessed Harry was powerful enough to set it to his favor with an unusually large exertion towards someone he loved… but it didn't make any sense… why at Hogwarts? How could Voldemort know that? How did it work, anyway? All Harry knew about the balance of power was what he was told in Albania, Voldemort must have learned much, much more.

All he hoped to do was find out who had attacked Ginny and how they got into Hogwarts. He strongly suspected the one who fought Malfoy had something to do with it.

'He wasn't a regular,' said the bartender, 'tall guy, your friend, Lovegood, seemed to think he was famous.'

'…Stubby Boardman… really?' Harry said with a raised eyebrow. Wasn't he mostly a figment of Luna's imagination?

'Think that's one she said,' he picked up the mop again.

'Could he have been a Death Eater?' Harry asked carefully.

'It wasn't written on his forehead.'

Harry tried to relax, the bartender was uncooperative. He caught the bartender's eye and tried to force his way into his guarded mind. He saw a familiar suggestion of his former head master before the old man looked away. He had the same beard as Dumbledore too… and face shape… the tall frame…

'Aberforth Dumbledore?'

'No,' he said in a drawn-out, sarcastic way, 'Celestina Warbeck. Wouldn't have thought you were so slow from the way he talked about you.'

'Dumbledore?'

'The one and only. Stop gawking.'

'…I just always thought you were off doing inappropriate things with-'

'I taught them to speak, nothing else,' he said angrily, Harry had touched a nerve.

'I didn't think goats are smart enough.'

'Apparently, each and everyone are smart enough to fight Voldemort and attend Hogwarts,' he started mopping again.

He looked like Dumbledore, but Aberforth was nothing like his former mentor, '…Look, could you just help me find Stubby Boardman or whoever it was fighting with Malfoy?'

'And why would I do that?'

'Because your brother would have wanted you to.'

He stopped mopping and looked up.

'…Think he slept in the Shrieking Shack last night…'

Harry left the Hog's Head for the Shrieking Shack without a second thought. He felt awful at using the memory of Dumbledore to guilt his brother into doing the right thing when there were definitely things that Harry had done, which the dead professor wouldn't have agreed with.

He blasted through the boarded up windows with his wand, requiring more power than unaltered wood should have. He lit his wand as the house was dark in the early morning and he crept up the stairs after checking every room in the downstairs. Behind the door to the bedroom, he paused and listened, where Snape once did. Someone was in there… two people… speaking quietly.

Harry raised his wand and opened the door, ready to fight. He almost dropped it a second later.

There was a naked, teenage girl with porcelain skin sitting on the bed.

'Sorry,' Harry turned in embarrassment.

The girl screamed and struggled to hide beneath the blankets.

'GET OUT!' she yelled, she threw a pillow, and it hit Harry with a cloud of dust.

'Sorry, I-'

She screamed again.

'Harry! Mandy! Stop!' said another voice.

The girl stopped screaming. Harry turned around again. He hadn't notice before, but Regulus was also in the room, now, he stood with one hand over the girl's mouth and another stretched towards Harry.

'Regulus!' Harry yelled, 'it was you? You're Stubby Boardman!' he shouted angrily.

'No, no, no,' Regulus said, his face turning in a smile but his hand remaining over the girl's mouth. Her big, brown eyes shot from Regulus to Harry and back to Regulus as she clutched tattered blankets, 'I came here looking for him a few hours ago. I think he's a Death Eater and I was afraid he might attack you in the hospital wing because no one knows about the secret passage. All I found was Mandy, here,' Regulus said. Harry recognized her as a Hufflepuff girl in his year at Hogwarts, 'she said he was here with her last night.'

'He looked like you, the Quibbler said-'

'I know, a dead ringer. Back when he was in the Hobgoblins, people were always confusing us. But Harry, he's a Death Eater… I'm not… remember, I destroyed a Horcrux so Voldemort would be mortal… it nearly cost me my life.'

Harry looked away from Regulus, to Mandy Blocklehurst, '… Yes, I'd forgotten…'

'I think I know where he's gone. It looks like Severus Snape has taken him in, he lives in some mill outside London. I know the way.'

'…You came looking for him here after asking the bartender, at three in the morning? She,' Harry said, talking about Mandy 'was already here… you talked and decided he was likely staying with Snape?'

'Well, yes, Harry, but it wasn't like that. Harry… I promise… I'm no Death Eater… if you think I hurt Ginny… well, I'd never do that… you're like a son to me, Harry, and, if I wanted to hurt her, I could have done it that night I was in the castle… And the Malfoy boy, in the hospital, he was in a duel, someone used Cruciatus on him… you know I can't do magic,' said Regulus, he looked more sincere than Harry had ever seen him. He took his hand off of Mandy's mouth. She looked terrified, than, she slowly nodded in agreement.

'Harry,' Regulus continued, 'you've been getting more paranoid lately, I completely understand why, but there aren't many people you can trust these days, you can't push away the people who love you. You pushed away Sirius, remember?'

Harry cast his eyes downward. He was right, of course.

And, as Harry and Regulus left the Shrieking Shack and Hogsmeade in search of Stubby and Snape, Harry thought back and realized he had pushed away everything and everyone who had ever loved him, even Hedwig was now living with the Weasleys. And Ginny… the only girl who had ever caused him pain and bliss at the same time… why did he now not care that he could feel her crying over him miles away?

* * *

'Come on Harry… open your eyes…' 

'Our world will fall to Voldemort if he's dead and another young life will be lost to this war… was the chance worth it?'

'Come on Harry… wake up…'

'The Coven has known for millennia our civilization would be corrupted because of the desire for more power.'

'Harry… get up…'

Someone dumped a bucket of cold water on Harry's face and he coughed awake. He rolled to his side, water running off his nose, his eyes stung. His wrists quivered, sharp pains echoing in them, as he tried to use them to stand up. Harry collapsed on his front into the muddy puddle beneath him.

'See! Good as new! Better than new! Hey, where'd you go?'

Harry craned his sore neck to see who were talking. Regulus was kneeling next to him in the mud, a wide smile on his face. The other voice was not present.

'W-who's- w-here,' Harry stuttered.

'It's a success,' Regulus said, enthusiastically grabbing Harry's arm, 'we've turned you into an Agoncrux.'

'…I-I…'

'Harry, remember, we came here yesterday, started the ceremony last night. It's the morning now and everything has gone fine.'

'C-ceremony?'

Harry's eyes glazed over for a moment as he tried to remember how he came to be lying in a clearing all night and in an intense pain.

It all came back to him. The Dark Forest. The Scroll Regulus read from. Silver trees. There was a storm, water was bubbling up from the ground and lightning from the sky. He remembered the last thing he saw before closing his eyes. The necklace he'd taken from Godric's Hollow, suspended in mid air above him, floating still in the violent wind and the thunder rumbled.

His eyes had closed. His mind had left the mortal world, the possible world, that night. Harry tried to remember what happened next. He remembered someone, something, skinning him, scalding him. He remembered the darkness as he saw in the distance a ghost of Voldemort watching him, smiling. There was someone else there too. Someone close to him, comforting him, an angel with scarlet hair and sad, green eyes.

Then, there was darkness. Then, there was nothing. Then, as Harry re-entered the mortal world, he felt the sun rise serene on his face, comforting his aching body. He remembered the earth beneath him, and then he heard voices talking above him. They had wondered if he was dead. They had spoken of the Coven. Regulus… and… Ollivander? Could they have been the ones pondering his death?

'Harry, remember yet?' said Regulus, his voice bringing Harry back to reality.

'Y-Yeah… I- I went somewhere… I-I…' he stopped.

'I don't think you did, Harry, I was here the whole time. You stayed here.'

'N-no, Voldemort, he was there, he was a ghost. My Mum, s-she… she was there too,' Harry said as he was suddenly gripped by a wrenching guilt and misery.

'You saw the ghost of the Dark Lord and Lily Potter?' Regulus said very slowly, 'Harry, think about it… that's impossible… all that happened was we turned you into an Agoncrux and it went more or less perfectly… I think… I don't think this has been done for a long time… but, you are not dead, so, it must have gone right.'

'Y-yeah… I must have been dreaming… or something.'

'Here,' Regulus stood and extended his hand to Harry; he grasped his wrist and was pulled to his feet. For a moment, he swayed, grabbing Regulus's shoulder, 'and the old crazy thought you were dead.'

'It worked?' Harry asked as Regulus handed him his wand.

'Yes,' Regulus pulled some objects out of his pocket, 'here, just trinkets now, not worth the material they were made from,' he let drop into Harry's palm the necklace, bottle and a rough wooden stick, which was once a wand. They no longer held any of the draw or power they had the previous night.

Harry didn't know why, but he gingerly put them in his pack. He would return them to Godric's Holllow.

'So, I'm…' Harry started.

'Yes, they're now infused within you, well, they're power is.'

Harry lent against a tree and put his head in his hands. He remained like that for a moment as the aches in his body evaporated and Regulus remained a few feet away.

'Harry…' Regulus said after a moment.

Harry looked up.

'There's something you can help me with now. You see, since you've now got all this extra power, and the ability to affect the balance, you could return my power back to me… make me a wizard again…'

Harry didn't say anything.

'Sirius would have wanted you to. He knew how being powerless felt, in his last days, that's what you told me; he would have done anything to be able to help the war effort. Now, you can let me do it for him.'

He remembered Sirius's desperation; he saw Regulus's face, the same look, the same face. He nodded slowly.

'How?'

Regulus smiled, 'It's called an energy transfer, the Vigoratus Enchantment.'

Harry felt power begin surging through his body, brushing away the last of the pain.

'All you have to do is say "Vigoratus" and be touching my wrist. You might get tired, but that's the worst thing that can happen.'

Harry stepped away from the tree. Sirius wanted this. Regulus pulled back his left sleeve, revealing an oozing sore that Harry had never noticed before.

'…The Dark Mark?' Harry asked, noting the location of the sore.

'It won't heal. Hasn't since Voldemort had it grated off nearly twenty years ago.'

Harry's eyes remained on the wound and he clutched Regulus's wrist, careful not to touch it.

'Vigoratus,' Harry said.

A blue magic seeped from Harry's hand into Regulus's arm, coating it. The magic began to climb up Regulus's arm, reaching the sore, the skin and sinew began to knit together.

'Harry,' Ollivander appeared out of nowhere. In surprise, Harry nearly let go of Regulus but the older wizard grabbed his hand, holding it tight to his wrist, 'I have not stopped you from creating an Agoncrux, from bringing him here, but I cannot allow you to do this,' said the Wand-Maker, his eyes serious behind his glasses, 'he is using the suggestive power of this place to use you, to use your power.'

Harry tried to let go of Regulus, the wizard wasn't looking at him.

'Harry,' said Ollivander as the blue magic reached Regulus's elbow, 'this will not bring back your Godfather.'

'GET OUT OF HERE!' yelled Regulus.

Harry wrenched his hand out of Regulus's grip and the blue magic faded. The older wizard looked murderous, Ollivander had disappeared again. It obviously hadn't worked.

But as Harry's eyes wandered to Regulus's wrist, he saw only smooth skin where there was once an open, incurable injury. Harry was alone.

* * *

He had been following Harry, despite his weakened state, for the whole of the evening under the waning moon. Luna had been wrong when she said the moon was full, it was only 5/6 lit. He followed Harry when he took Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to Hogsmeade, only Ron noticing him there. Then he had apparated to Godric's Hollow with them, once again, only a distraught Ginny hearing him and ignoring it. For all Harry's intelligence, talent, and power, he was still just a reckless teenager sometimes. 

He had followed Harry to St. Mungo's and the Hog's Head, than, to the Shrieking Shack. Following, of course, at a distance, and making no effort to stop him. Harry was making more progress in investigating Ginny's attack than the Order had, and he was only there to protect Harry and not let him disappear again. He needed people. He needed someone he could trust…

Sadly, he had wondered what such a kind and intelligent girl like Mandy was doing with any grown man. She had too much talent to waste being taken advantage of. It was then, he had to convince himself not to give Mandy his cloak and take her back to the castle with a lecture about waiting, as he had to follow Harry further.

Regulus Black… a face he never thought he would see again. There were rumors that Harry was seen with Sirius Black, possibly being manipulated by someone with the ability to take on Padfoot's appearance, but that wasn't necessary with Regulus around. The manipulation was still evident.

He had followed them to Spinner's End and had seen the warning signs of trouble before Harry. He watched as Regulus told them where Spinner's End was, subtly revealing it to them from beneath the Fidelius Charm. He had wondered before where Snape lived, Spinner's End was ridiculously perfect for him.

The three entered the home and found Peter Pettigrew inside; neither Snape nor any former member of the Hobgoblins was visible. Harry had acted on impulse and shoved Pettigrew against a wall, spilling expensive, elf-made wine. Regulus, slipped out the front door, leaving Harry, seemingly, alone with Pettigrew.

Part of him wanted to grab Harry. To pull him off of Pettigrew and let the short man speak. Another part of him wanted it to be a full moon.

'H-Harry! Stop! P-Please don't hurt me! I can help you! Don't hurt me! Don't-' Pettigrew screamed as Harry got out his wand.

'Tell me who attacked her!' Harry snarled.

'I-I don't know! Please! They won't tell me anything! They won't let me-'

'Things have changed since I saved your life! If you think I won't kill you-' Harry started.

'Please! I'll help you, but I don't know!' he wailed.

'TELL ME!' the house shook and the torches blazed.

Pettigrew attempted to transform but Harry was ready for it, he was grabbing his arm in a death grip, using it own power to weaken Pettigrew. The short wizard began to wail, to cry. He thrashed free and swiped Harry's face with his silver hand, gashing his jaw.

'PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I-' he cried as Harry knocked him to the ground, his black hair sticking to the blood.

Harry's knee crushed Pettigrew's wrist and, from his vantage point, he couldn't tell whether it was intentional or not. Harry locked eyes with him, forcing his way into Pettigrew's mind. He watched as Harry's expression shifted from anger to horror.

He jumped back from Pettigrew.

'I'M SORRY!' Pettigrew cried,'t-they said I j-just had to k-keep you here for a few minutes. I'm so sorry! I didn't want to! T-they here! They're here now! Watching us!' suddenly Pettigrew feel limp, as though stunned, but Harry hadn't done it. The older wizard had simply fainted under the pressure.

Harry looked as though he couldn't decide what to do. He needlessly stunned him then took off, leaving Spinner's End.

He watched and began to follow, but felt a wand against the back of his neck and someone grabbing his arm. Death Eaters appeared out of the air. Remus Lupin fell to the ground stunned; his senses had been weakened by the Monkswood and Moon.

The one yielding the wand was none other than Severus Snape. The Death Eaters grabbed the unconscious Lupin and Pettigrew and disapparated to Voldemort's side. Regulus Black was already there.

* * *

_AN: Argh, ha, I'm a pirate. Sorry for the wait. This is continuing the World Tour of Chapters. Seven came from Tokyo, this one is coming out of Beijing, the next will probably be coming from Canada, then all the rest will be from Italia. Which reminds me, THE END IS IN SIGHT! YAY!_

_Three things 1) Does anyone know definitively if it's definitely now not allowed to do review replies? A few people have mentioned that to me. I'll do them this week, but I'd love to know. 2) REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW 3) In case you haven't noticed, apparently, CH7 was not the last chapter:)._

-lou, _Thanks_

-Arica Princess of Rivendell, _OKAY!_

-renoir, _Thanks, I know, it feels better to see 'completed' even if an ending is just kind of tacked on there. But in my reading experience, the only fics I've actually actively hated, are the ones that started off good and got bad. Abandoned fics I just found kind of annoying. Thanks for reviewing._

-Junky, _Yup, I did._

-Trunks 01, _Harry and Reg's relationship is… well… he's just not a good person. In OOPT, Sirius uses James's memory to guilt Harry. Harry uses Albus's memory to guilt Aberforth. Regulus uses his own brother (in his likeness) to guilt Harry. None of them are good things, but one is much more personal and dangerous. Thanks for reviewing._

-thephatom114, _Hey, yeah, I know I'm lucky to get the reviews I have. But, I'm an idiot, so I'm allowed to be dumb/greedy, lol. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Vorax, _You knew there would be a next chapter before I did… seer blood? Thanks for reviewing._

-darknessallover, _Hi, I do write some things just for myself, but I don't post them, I only post the ones I write for reviews. Maybe I'm just lazy too, lol. Thanks for reviewing!_

-VaterVonMelker, _Friggin' heaven, ok._

-desithug, _Thank you, I hope you liked this chapter_.

-Padfoot90, _Thanks!_

-Glary8402, _Thanks… I think :)_

-basketballbabe, _I think the chapter updates will get more regular again soon. I'm on vacation right now so it's tricky, but the next one will probably be up faster. I promise, Harry will get better again. There's no way I'm leaving my protagonist as this much of a jerk towards Ginny, lol. Thanks for reviewing._

-ShadowHunter Marshell, _It's ok. I rant at authors all that time… those bastards… abandoning their fics… just makes me so darn angry! In the next few chapters, Harry will finally come to terms with everything and everyone else will also. Thanks for the review… and for jolting me into addressing the lack-of-update problem (see, some times authors just need to be slapped.)_

-XXRoseDawsonXX, _Well… ok… fine… I'll put up Ch8, lol. As long as at least you're still reading. Thanks for reviewing!_

-sadgoat, _I understand. When ever I don't have, fics up I always forget how much reviews mean to some authors. There are good people out there, who really don't care and post anyway, then there are idiots like me… oh well… thanks for reviewing!_

-Jeefus, _Lol, quartet, I should get in a scene where they're singing in striped jackets- but, er, yes, to the point. Thank you very much for the review and Harry's friends will be a much more prominent part of the coming chapters so there will be lots about what they think about Ominous!Harry, lol._

-wsantlem, _It will only get darker smiles evilly… thanks for the review!_

-emziwilson, _Thank you, thanks for reviewing._

-Revan, _Thanks!_

-sara, _LOL! Thank you. Hopefully this chapter was good enough to warrant one. I dug up the typos mentioned and corrected them, thanks, I hate proof reading so a lot of the time the quality of spelling/canon spelling in the chapter depends on people mentioning something. Thanks for reviewing._

- guyute3965, _Harry… well… he means well. Underneath it all, he's a good guy, but even he is vulnerable and he has a lot of baggage that could be used to influence him. He really needs to be surrounded by people without ulterior motives… like his friends. Thanks for reviewing!_

-Amy, _Thanks, let me know if you liked this chapter too :)_

-andy may, _Thanks. I definitely hope this fic will be finished eventually. I hope you liked this chapter!_

-JBQ, _Yeah, I try to remember that some people just don't want to review, even if they like the fic, but it's when it happens continuely, by more and more people that I get anxious. Thanks for reviewing! I hope you liked this chapter too._

-Digi Bonds,_ :) Thanks for reviewing!_

-Name, _I THINK SO TOO!1 I was just worried I was the only one… thanks for reviewing._

-MeghanthePagan, _No, I definitely don't want that on my conscience, so here you go. Lol, I was actually a little afraid when I wrote it like that that I'd just get reviews saying 'well… now that you mention it… no… you shouldn't continue… it's just not good anymore, you shouldn't be wasting your time with it.' But everyone was so nice- I'm just getting paranoid, lol._

-jackhea, _Sister Dear, you forget that the days of 'cuddedn't' were not that long ago. You do, however, I'm sure realize your reviews are always the hardest on me, in case you've forgotten, when you reviewed Chapter 1, you gave me my only real flame… I think, because of that, I'll call you an ass. Now, while I must criticize you calling me on my placement of the Dark Forest when you had not noticed if not for my fretting at the mistake before correcting it, I will also ask you to review this chapter… in fact… I won't ask you. I'll make sure you do._

-Elle's Bells, _Thanks, I hope you liked this chapter._

-Anonymouse, _Thank you so much. You're review gave me a real boost because I have trouble deciding whether something is awkward/corny or alright, like the example you gave. I'm glad you think its "brilliant" even if I'm not always sure, lol. I completely understand what you mean about people just assuming there's lots of reviews already so it doesn't matter too much (I think that myself with other people's stories often) but they matter, oh, they matter. I wouldn't be so ridiculously insecure about this story if reviews didn't matter, lol. And on that note, thank you again._

-Mr. Set, _I know, I shouldn't rely so much on reviews, but I can't help it! I can't! I just need my fix! 40k is on the horizon (yay) and it will be moving out of novella and into a real novel-length fic soon so I'm happy. I hope you liked this chapter, and thanks you so much._

-Eilisan, _Thank you. I would be upset too, lol. I hope you liked this chapter._

-Jayde Green, _LOL. I love you reviews, they make me laugh… unless of course you're serious about turning me into treacle… in which case, they make me scared, lol. Powerful!Harry is fun, I love him too, but, just for kicks, it's only going to make things harder for him and the most complete, perfect explanation of what an Agoncrux is will come in Ch. 10 (possibility 9, but likely 10) if the secret isn't out already. The Wandmakers' Coven is here partially because it's important and partially because I really wanted to add Ollivander in here somewhere. I really like his 'great things' personality. He recognizes 'great' things without being intimidated by how/why they're done. Ginny's alive, but not out of the woods yet (har, har, har- wait, that wasn't even a pun). And Harry is crazy/a jerk now, but it will get sorted out. I've been trying to think of a good way to get someone to see that codfish in person and I think I've found a way for ch9. I love writing Heir of Jesus, that's another version of Powerful!Harry, maybe SW's Harry should have the ability to pleasure men also… that would be… interesting:). Thanks for all the reviewing!_

-Shang Warrior Phoenix, _Thanks for reviewing! I checked out your story, I don't usually read older stuff (pre HBP) but I definitely liked it. I hope you liked this chapter._

-anonymous, _Thakn you so much. I hope you liked this chapter._

-This is Gardnergirl, _Thank you. I like a lot of fics with few reviews (and I have a lot of respect for the authors that finish them) but I'm a hypocrite, oh well. I hope you liked this chapter._

-prongs65, _I like all reviews, long ones, short ones, fat ones, skinny ones, good ones, bad ones, lol. I hope you liked this chapter and thanks so much._

-Jarno, _Thank you!_

-Stephanie, _Regulus is completely crazy, and kind of evil. I was actually re-reading the note he left in the locket and felt kind of bad for turning what JKR had likely made a noble/good chara into this guy. I hope you liked this chapter and thanks!_

-Harry rukes, _Thanks! I hope you liked this one too._

-SpiffySquee, _I know! I've noticed your name (it's a great penname) reviewing most chapters and I swear, I'm eternally greatful. I hope this chappie is up to parr. And thanks for reviewing, it really does mean a lot to me._

-Rosealinde, _Thanks! I hope this one was good too and that I'll see your penname again. I hope this wasn't too slow an update (better than the last one though.)_

_**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW,**_

09/02/_0_5- bulldozed Godric's Hallow and rebuilt Godric's Hollow (how on earth did I miss that one?)_  
_


	9. And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

Harry apparated running outside the gate of Godric's Hollow. He tore down the black path, with trees too thick to see the moon and by some miracle of instinct and magic he found his way through the darkness. His heart pounded through his robes when he began to see the lights of the castle dot through the leaves and smelled the damp lake.

Thousands of thoughts racing through his mind, none acceptable to him. Harry stopped dead, skidding in the dirt. Something was wrong. He could see the castle, he was less than 50 metres away, but Harry could tell, something had happened. Some slight error in the appearance of the property.

'GINNY, RON, HERMIONE!' he yelled, the words blending together.

He jogged to the door carefully. He had felt like this before, both greatly craving opening the door and being absolutely terrified to do so. Harry pressed the door open.

Where he had felt like this before was immediately evident.

The walls bled black, the paintings were deformed, scarred and the air was thick with a tangible misery. The entire castle was cursed. Like he had seen in his former nursery, where his mother was killed, now that disease had engulfed his home.

'…No,' Harry whispered in the chocking dark, illuminated only by the moon out side the door. His wand lit without command.

Each step he took further in, deeper into the darkness, it became harder to breathe.

'…Ginny…Ron…Hermione,' he tried again.

Harry turned a corner, desperately praying not to see anyone or anything. His heart was in his throat. Only his feet on the stone floor making a sound. His adrenaline raced with fear and the eerie shadows wavered as his wand shock. He turned another corner; there were dark figures on the ground at the other end of the hallway.

He didn't breathe. Harry wanted to wake up.

They were motionless, only two though… _what had happened to- _Harry stopped, he wouldn't let himself think that. Each step, the figures became clearer through the thick air. He knelt next to them.

'Smithy… Cheshire?'

_House elves_, Harry thought with relief, _not them._ Harry knew he would be relieved at anyone but his friends lying there dead. But they weren't dead. They were alive, Harry could sense it.

He took their thin hands in his and thought, _Vigoratus._ The blue magic oozed into them. Slowly, large eyes squinted up at Harry.

'Master Potter,' one whispered in a croaky voice, 'Miss Gran-'

'Are they ok?' Harry said as the other house elf awoke.

'Taken,' said Smithy, 'alive, Master Potter we tried to-'

'Never mind that now, who, where?'

'…The Death Eaters…'

'…We don't know where,' said the other house elf, 'the D-Death Eaters-'

Harry stood up. He had to track down the Death Eaters. He had to be the one to offend Voldemort this time. He levitated both elves behind him as he ran, setting them down outside the castle. He ran past the gates, beyond the anti-appartion wards and disappeared with a loud crack.

He fell into the bushes outside Saint Mungo's. He had an idea. A stupid and reckless idea, yes, but there wasn't time for anything else. Without care for secrecy or quiet, he found his crowbar and wrenched the window open again. The window slammed shut. Harry didn't care, he didn't care if the Minister of Magic showed up and pointed his wand at him, time was passing.

Noisily, he bounded up the stairs to Malfoy's room. He paused anxiously outside the door, no auror this time. Nothing. He opened the door and went to Malfoy's bedside. He was lying in the same condition he had been in hours ago.

Harry pulled the sleeve off his arm, the ugly Dark Mark staring directly at him. The tip of his wand transformed into a razor-sharp knife and Harry twisted Malfoy's arm in an unnatural angle to get a better grip.

'Stop right there!' said a voice from behind him.

Harry's energy jumped with urgency. He quickly cast a look behind him, Williamson again. In Harry's panic, he hadn't properly sensed the room for invisible people.

'I can't!' Harry said through gritted teeth, 'keep away from me,' he warned. He pressed the knife to Malfoy's pale skin, carving a deep wound that stained the sheets crimson.

'Stup-'

Harry shut down the auror's attempt without any effort.

He repositioned his knife to make a second cut, a leaking 'L' shape in his skin, which was quickly coated with blood. The auror bounded to him and tried to pull him away from Malfoy by the back of his neck. Harry whirled around, disregarding his instinct to use the knife on the auror, and pushed Williamson to the floor.

'Stupefy,' Harry yelled, the auror dodged the red light that shot from Harry's knife tip.

'Stupefy,' the auror said back, Harry ducked.

'Specelum,' Harry yelled. The auror's wand twisted in his hand just before he yelled, 'Stupefy,' again and he fell to the floor unconscious.

_Ginny, Ron, Hermione,_ Ran through Harry's head.

He ignored the auror and tried not to think about how many wards and alarms he had just triggered. He positioned the knife on Malfoy's badly bleeding arm again. He made two more cuts, surrounding the dark mark in a lop-sided square.

He slid the knife under the boy's flesh and Harry gagged slightly. He pulled the bleeding skin from its place, lifting it dripping with the side of the knife. He laid it down on the already-blood-soaked sheets.

Harry took Malfoy's bloodied wrist, 'Vigatorus,' he whispered, hearing people running towards the room. Malfoy's wound knitted shut, making a pristinely white, new patch of skin at the centre of the bloody mess.

Harry's eyes lingered on the flesh he had just cut from Malfoy with the Dark Mark seared into it.

_Ginny, Ron, Hermione._

There was nothing else for it. He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and gingerly wrapped the dark mark in it, then hesitantly put it in his pocket. As Harry slipped out of Malfoy's disarranged room, and successfully eluded the aurors running to check on Williamson, he felt the flesh warm in his pocket.

He ran to the safety of the empty streets and found a dark alley, where Harry stopped. He took the flesh out; he could feel it throbbing angrily, unnaturally. Harry gagged again when he unwrapped the tissue. He had been right. Harry had known since Regulus mentioned to him that Voldemort had grated off his Dark Mark that it must mean the flesh under it was enchanted, even surviving death… and, possibly… detaching.

Wormtail was of no use in his current state. Harry needed to find Voldemort. The voice in his head was now shouting the names of his friends at him. Harry pulled up his own sleeve and gingerly placed Malfoy's skin upon his, some of the blood smearing. Harry coughed again, choking on the idea of what he had done.

Harry felt it burn softly. He pressed his thumb to the skull and felt the familiar squeeze of apparation. The alley dissolved around him with a crack.

As Harry reappeared, knowing nothing but that he had been pulled somewhere different, a metre, a mile, he had no idea, his mind lingered on both how amazing and how dangerous it was to apparate without knowing where he'd end up.

His eyes adjusted to the new light as he pulled Malfoy's Dark Mark from his arm and put it back in the tissue, Harry readied his wand. He was in a building, somewhere. He was in a room lit by torches and decorated darkly with a small window overlooking a city street.

He had been there before.

Harry looked around quickly; he had been in this room many times. He and Ron shared a room down the hall, Buckbeak was to the left, Mrs. Black was…

12 Grimmauld Place.

But… how was it possible… it was his property?

Harry's scar began to sting numbly. He moved towards the door, he had to find Voldemort, to find his friends. His hand was on the door handle when Harry noticed someone standing in the shadowy corner with his wand trained on him.

'You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?' Lucius Malfoy said in a cold drawl as he stepped from the shadows.

Harry wasn't afraid anymore. He held out his wand, hand first, towards Malfoy. And, without a blink or shutter of fear, said: 'Take me to him.'

The older Malfoy, his cheeks much more hollow and his skin much greyer than Harry remembered, disarmed Harry and pocketed his wand. Harry's eyes were steady, almost alarmingly so.

'He's been expecting you.'

* * *

Draco Malfoy wished someone would turn off the damn music. This was not the tea shop; there was no reason and no one there who wanted to hear elves sing muggle Christmas songs. He pulled his cloak tighter around his body; the draft chilled his skin anyway. 

'…_and on the forth day of Christmas_…'

He glanced at the clock on the wall. Black was late. Draco's head rested against the stone wall behind him, he was exhausted but far too threatened to sleep in such a public area.

The Hog's Head bartender was scrubbing a table by the fire and eyeing Draco. He knew he had been sitting there too long without ordering something, but there was little he could do about it now. He didn't even have 12 knuts for some Goblin Grey Goose and the poverty was beginning to really annoy him.

'…_fi-ve gold-en rings_…'

His eyes were heavy, they began to droop and his stomach growled loudly under his robes. Draco lay his head down on the table in front of him and his eyes began to close.

A gust of frozen wind woke him a moment later, Draco jumped as the heavy door opened and closed as Regulus Black entered. He sat up straight.

'Draco,' Black acknowledged, tilting his head to the teenager and brushing snow off his robes.

'You're late,' Draco hissed.

'Yeah…' Black said uncaring and distracted, 'why don't we sit closer to the fire?' Regulus said, surveying the bar but still keeping his hood up.

Regulus left Draco's table and sat at the one the bar tender had just finished scrubbing. Draco seethed for a moment before reluctantly joining him; he was in no place to bargain.

'It must be a new vintage trend or something,' Regulus said to Draco as he sat down, 'because it's amazing how many teenage girls remember the Hob Goblins.'

'If you were late because you were out sha-' Draco began.

'Why don't I get us something warm to drink?' Regulus cut him off and approached the bar.

Draco had had enough. All he wanted to do was find Potter and make a deal with him or McGonagall or whoever the bloody hell was in charge these days. He imagined though, he might have a better chance with Potter than with McGonagall. He shouldn't. Their rivalry, the terms of Dumbledore's death, but for whatever reason, Draco could just feel Potter would understand Dumbledore's hopes better.

'…_on the tenth day of Christmas_…'

Regulus returned to the table with two steaming mugs. He carefully placed one in front of Malfoy and drank from the other.

'No wonder my brother was going crazy,' Regulus said, 'hell of a place to stay. There's absolutely nothing to do, I found buckets and buckets of cleaning supplies though so I imagine it was worst in his day.'

'Did you talk to him?' Draco asked, he drank though it burned his tongue and tasted sour.

'Who?' Regulus said.

Draco slammed his mug down on the table. He was in no mood for this.

'You know who,' Draco hissed quietly.

'What's he got to do with anything?' Regulus smirked, clearly enjoying Draco's desperation.

'I could just cancel this whole thing,' Draco spat, 'I'll just go to McGonagall on my own and it's not like Potter is missing anymore.'

'All right, all right, calm down kid but do you really think McGonagall could protect you from the Dark Lord without Harry?' Regulus took a long sip from his mug. Draco did the same. Really a very vile drink, 'yeah, I talked to him.'

'And?'

'And he's going to meet you.'

Draco would have smiled, if he wasn't broke, cold, miserable and thoroughly displeased with how this all had resolved itself. He was going to turn. He was going to become what he hated. There was no place for him anywhere now, but it was less likely that the Order of the Phoenix was going to torture him to death.

'…_four calling birds_…'

Someone knocked loudly on the door twice before pushing it open violently. Draco pulled up his hood and sank in his chair just in time. Regulus had also hidden his face behind his mug. Only an official would knock before entering.

'What?' growled the bartender.

'There's been an attack at the school,' said a new voice, 'Hogsmeade is locking down. No one will be leaving the town tonight and you are required by law to report any suspicious wizards to the-'

'Suspicious wizards department? Right? Have you ever been in here before? Seen my customers?' the bartender yelled, apparently not happy at the intrusion.

'Rig- well, aurors will be at Three Broomsticks and if you need any assistance or need to rep-'

'Yeah, yeah,' said the bartender.

There was a pause and the ministry official shut the door as powdery snow settled on the inside of the pub. The bartender groaned as Malfoy and Regulus took off their hoods and put down their mugs.

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Malfoy's stomach. His steely eyes shot daggers at Regulus.

'That was you!' he hissed venomously, leaning over the table, 'you didn't talk to him! You attacked someone!'

'I don't know what you're talking about,' Regulus said with a smile.

Draco pounded his fist on the table, shaking the drinks.

'You worthless squib! Couldn't even control yourself long enough to get in there! Couldn't even remember the first time! That's it! I won't tell you where he is! Like the Dark Lord would take a squib anyway!' Malfoy yelled, jumping up from the table, knocking his chair over behind him.

'…_three French hens_…'

'Sit down,' Regulus said calmly.

Draco pulled out his wand. He was finished. He didn't even care anymore.

The bar tender had disappeared into a stock room, but he wouldn't stop a duel anyway.

'Put down your wand Draco, I've got to take you back to your mother tonight, she wouldn't like it if I had to stun you first,' Regulus said, taking another sip, 'why don't you finish your drink?'

'What? My mother? What does she have to do with anything?' Draco said, his wand shaking but whether it was from Regulus's words or the cold, he didn't know.

'You think you've been deceiving the Death Eaters,' Regulus took another sip, 'but you were wrong. I think it would be much more convenient to kill you but my cousin wants you alive and I don't want to get rid of the latest link in the Malfoy chain, even if it is a weak one.'

Draco's wand shook more violently. It was impossible. It was all too impossible. He couldn't… they wouldn't have… how could it have…

'No…' he said.

'Like I said, put down your wand, there's no point, it's all finished,' Regulus stated, 'definitely finish your drink though. The Dark Lord isn't happy with you; I don't know where you'll end up… I doubt there will be free alcohol there though.'

Draco cast a look back, the bartender still wasn't around.

'Crucio!' he yelled at Regulus.

The curse sputtered and died in sparks after leaving his wand.

'And that's being powerless,' Regulus said without looking up, 'fun, isn't it?'

Draco looked down in horror at his hands and wand. That only happened when a wizard wasn't powerful enough to cast a curse, and he knew he was.

'Handy stuff, that Doxycide. It actually just makes them temporarily powerless, easier to get rid of that way, works on humans too… makes the body brittle though, so be careful.'

A man and his daughter who had been sitting in a table behind a decrepit Christmas tree dashed out the door. Draco thought he recognized her but neither were of any use to him now.

'…_two turtledoves_…'

'Draco,' Regulus said, 'one last chance. Finish your drink. I'll even chip in for some fermented soy beans, I hear they're pushing them as a new bar snack, never tried them myself, sounds horrid, but those Chinese wizards have been eat-'

'Crucio!' he tried again.

The curse dissolved.

Regulus sighed. There was nothing left. Draco tried to turn to run.

'It's like this, crucio!' Regulus said from his seat.

The curse caught Draco by the ankle. Every inch of his skin tore and pulled at his tissue, his nerve endings screamed as he did. The curse was lifted. He was on the ground, his mouth full of blood from where he had bitten through his tongue.

'I didn't want to do that, but you seemed so desperate to see it cast sometime tonight and you're not going to be able to for a while.'

Draco choked on blood as he tried to get to his knees. Regulus pried him up by his arm and pulled him back to his seat, holding tightly to his shoulder. He had never felt the curse that strong before, it had to be Voldemort's power.

'I'm just borrowing the power; Voldemort says once we've got Potter and get rid of Ollivander I'll be able to get my own back. I'm borrowing the wand too.'

'Traitor!' Draco said through blood, trying to get free of Regulus's grasp.

'A bit rich coming from you, don't you think?'

Regulus hit Draco with another curse and he fell to the ground, barely conscious. He felt his arm crumple beneath him and the table fall behind him, the drink spilling to the floor.

'Leave the kid alone,' Draco heard the bartender growl at Regulus. His eyes shut with pain, he couldn't move, his muscles had dissolved.

He heard Regulus laugh. _Please, _Draco thought, using a word he would never dream to say, _let him leave. Let that Ministry wizard return._

His eyes squinted open for a moment, he the bartender with his wand aimed at Regulus. He looked terrifying, powerful, like Dumbledore. It was Dumbledore, it had to be. Draco's eyes shut again before he could see Aberforth Dumbledore force Regulus out and back to his master a success but to his cousin as a failure.

'..._And a partridge in a pear tree_...'

* * *

The room was different than Harry remembered, darker. 

And in the darkness, and in the room, which tasted of despair. Voldemort was waiting for him. His crimson eyes looked triumphant as Harry entered. Harry's green eyes quivered and he desperately wished they wouldn't because he could hear Ginny screaming nearby…

* * *

_AN: Will you look at that. I actually updated. Reality really is stranger than fiction. **Thank you so much to everyone who reviews.** REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!_

_puppy eyes I'll dust off that old chestnut…_

_REVIEW, REVIEW!_

_One more, REVIEW!_


	10. A High and Lonely Destiny

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

Harry took a deep breath. And still… there was silence. Yes, he was unarmed and yes, Voldemort had every card in this game, but Harry decided in that moment he was stronger. Dumbledore had known this would come and he had had faith in Harry.

What was Voldemort waiting for? If he was going to try and curse Harry or try and kill him, why not now? Would he offer another mock-duel?

She screamed again, Harry's heart begged to run to her, but he didn't. With more strength than it took to look Voldemort in the eye, Harry refused to go to her. Voldemort raised his thin hand and Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters left the room. They were now alone. Harry felt Voldemort's eyes fix within his mind.

_There was a question… how much would he loose for them? What would he gamble?_

Harry could see in Voldemort's mind no duel was to be offered, he was not going to get his wand back. Harry had few options, he could play Voldemort's game, find out why he wasn't yet dead, or he could run. He might make it out of the room… than… maybe… wrestle a wand away from a Death Eater, if he managed that, he could try to duel Voldemort with a badly fitting wand.

It wouldn't work.

'Anything,' Harry gave up.

'Then this is all very simple,' Voldemort said in a cold, razored voice.

He was going to die.

'I'm not going to kill you, just yet,' Voldemort continued. Harry cringed as she screamed again. Voldemort raised his hand again and she abruptly stopped.

'She's alive,' Voldemort answered before Harry could ask. Harry wished he could see her, see if Voldemort was telling the truth, 'but she needn't stay like that.'

'Anything,' Harry repeated. This was not supposed to be how it happened, his mind screamed. He needed his wand, he needed to fight him, not powerlessly submit.

'And you're sure about that?' Voldemort asked.

'Yes.'

_I'm so sorry, Dumbledore._

Voldemort smiled and Harry's scar burned bright red. The door behind Harry opened as if upon Voldemort's signal.

'Bring Regulus here,' Voldemort said to the Death Eater who had entered the room.

Harry gaped at the name, '… I want him released too,' Harry stated. Had Regulus remained at Spinner's End? Had he been caught there? Harry assumed he had just run before Pettigrew could identify him… he shouldn't have to die for Harry, like Sirius did.

Voldemort's smile widened, he laughed loud and unsettling.

'I w-' Harry began.

Regulus entered behind Harry, 'Yes, My Lord?'

Harry was speechless. Regulus didn't look at him. He was wearing thick, dark, expensive robes and he was neatly groomed. Harry's heart beat against his chest.

_Traitor…_

'You did this!' Harry couldn't help it. He hit Regulus in the jaw with all the force he could muster. He stumbled as Regulus fell to the ground, clutching his jaw. Harry moved to hit him again when he felt himself thrown backwards by an unknown force.

Harry crashed into a wall, the house groaned. Voldemort had his wand raised and had calmly done it.

'You must learn to control that temper,' Voldemort said as Harry got to his feet. Regulus stumbled to his knees, rubbing his jaw. He still wouldn't look at Harry.

Harry looked away from his former mentor and back to Voldemort.

'You should thank him, Harry, if it wasn't for Regulus, we wouldn't have access to the powers of Godric Gryffindor and an Agoncrux,' Voldemort said.

Harry's jaw hardened at the thought. He should have known. He should have gotten rid of him when he could have, 'We?' said Harry darkly.

'In exchange for the lives of your friends,' Voldemort said, rising from his chair, 'you're going to help me.'

'I'll never join you!' Harry spat.

'No, Harry… I would never have you join me. You will help me though, for the time being, and then I'll kill you.'

Running and trying to get a wand from a Death Eater was looking like a better and better idea with every passing moment. Voldemort raised his hand, giving a signal somehow, and the screaming resumed in a nearby room.

'Yes,' Harry yelled, 'just let them go… I'll do anything…'

The screaming stopped again.

Regulus began to speak, addressing Harry but looking at Voldemort, 'You have the ability to alter the balance of magic in our favour and make Lord Voldemort's power infinite,' Regulus said.

Harry broke eye contact and looked at the floor. What could he say? What could he do? What was left?

'Why now?' Harry asked quietly, 'why wasn't that important to you years ago?'

'Because years ago, it was impossible,' Voldemort said simply walking closer to Harry. They were only a few inches difference in height, 'you've grown up since I first saw you… but you're still just as weak, just as powerless…'

Harry met his eyes. He wouldn't respond, he wouldn't rebel. Ron, Hermione and Ginny where here somewhere, they depended on him.

'Let them go,' Harry said with all the strength he had left.

'After we're finished.'

'No, before. I don't trust you to keep your word. Let them go now and once I know they're safe, I'll do it.'

Voldemort seemed to ponder this for a moment.

'…Fine, but I think they would appreciate it if you were the one to release them.'

* * *

Ginny felt Harry somewhere. It had to be him; she knew Harry had come for her. In the darkest part of her mind she couldn't decipher whether it was the truth or a sad product of her growing desperation that caused her to believe that. She felt Hermione's arms warm around her and closed her eyes. 

'He's here,' she whispered.

'Who?' Hermione responded quietly.

'Harry.'

She had been returned to the room they were held in moments before. She remembered the room as she had once spent a summer, now, everything looked different. It felt like a prison cell now, the walls she had thought nothing of years ago now felt like bars.

The furniture had been cleared out and beside the door, a large, jagged hole had been cut into the hallway, allowing the Death Eaters to easily look in when ever they passed by. The hole, door and window were protected somehow, some type of shimmering magic held them in. Hermione had commented on it, but, by the look on her face, Ginny could tell it wasn't good.

Her body ached. She had no idea why Rodolphus Lestrange picked her. He had asked her no questions, given no interrogation, and gave no reason but had struck her with the Cruciatus three times. Stopping as if on signal and than beginning again. Then, it was over. He had dragged her back to the room and thrown her inside, not saying a word, but smiling slightly.

Hermione cradled her. Ron was sitting with his head in his arms on the other side of the room, watching them. Ginny couldn't think of anything to say to him, to soothe him. He had nearly made it out of Godric's Hollow, when the Death Eaters came. He had duelled one back then run, but, upon noticing neither girl had made it out, he ran back in. Ginny didn't remember anymore then that. Only that the Death Eaters had seemed to walk through the door and through the wards with ease. Should have been impossible.

Ginny's eyes opened and shut as she struggled with exhaustion, Hermione rubbed her hand. She heard footsteps in the hall, coming towards her. Ginny sat up painfully; Hermione's hand pulled her close quickly, not trusting her to move. But what Hermione didn't know was Ginny could feel Harry.

The footsteps neared, slow, almost dreading, more than one person. Perhaps he had brought the Order with him. Maybe this was all over. Ginny's heart flew in her chest, Hermione's grip tightened and Ron showed now reaction.

And then, she was right. Harry appeared in the hallway, outside the hall. His long dark robes clashed with his pale and sombre face. Harry didn't move to open the door; his eyes surveyed the room slowly, landing on Ginny and Hermione. No one seemed able to believe they were really seeing him.

Ginny's face broke into a smile and she struggled to her feet.

'Harry!' Hermione cried. This got Ron's attention and he too jumped to his feet.

'Harry!' Ron yelled the same. They crowded near him, close to the enchanted opening.

Ginny felt tears of relief cling to her eyes.

'I don't know what happened, they-' Ron began, but stopped, seeing the look on his face. Harry's eyes were miserable and he didn't move.

'Harry?' Hermione said softly.

Another figure walked to Harry. Ginny's smile faded and her stomach fell as Voldemort's eyes fell on her. Harry still didn't move, he remained sad and still next to Voldemort, his eyes unfocused, like he couldn't look at his friends.

'…Harry…what's going on?' Ginny asked quietly.

Voldemort placed his pale hand on Harry's shoulder. He hissed something in parseltongue to Harry. Harry made no reaction. Voldemort hissed something else, Ginny took a step back.

'No…' she said, tears streaming down her face, 'no…' he would never… Harry wouldn't join… nothing could make him…

Voldemort spoke to Harry in parseltongue, looking at Harry now, no longer at them. Harry hung his head… then… Harry spoke back in the same raspy hiss. Harry paused before replying to something Voldemort had said then he nodded slowly and solemnly. Ginny stumbled over her robes trying to get away from him.

'No…NO!' she screamed in tears. Hermione caught her as she began to collapse.

'Ginny!' Harry's façade broke as he began towards her. Voldemort held his shoulder tightly, a smile on his face.

'No…no…' she whispered as Hermione held her. Ron was silent, too shocked to say anything and Hermione didn't look at Harry.

They stopped speaking and Harry moved left his side, unlocking the door. Harry walked into the room, pulling a quill out of his robes. He held it out to Ron. Ron looked at Harry with a look mixed with pity, fear and disgust.

'You thought we weren't willing to die in the fight? Like your parents and Sirius and Dumbledore and so many others? Just so you'd join him?' Ron said. He snatched the quill from Harry's hand.

Ron walked over to Hermione and Ginny. Hermione held Ginny's hand to the quill as she wept, half in Hermione's arms and half on the floor. There was a moment's pause and something tugged behind Ginny's navel. The last thing she saw before the world spun away from her was a single tear slide down Harry's face as Voldemort watched them.

* * *

'They were speaking in parseltongue?' McGonagall said softly. 

'Yes,' Ginny replied in a strangled whisper.

St. Mungo's was gently lit by candles and the moon. The quill had been a portkey, transporting Ginny, Hermione and Ron to Diagon Alley. They were taken to St. Mungo's and McGonagall had arrived with Ginny's mother and father. Hermione and Ron had been enchanted into sleep; Ginny struggled to stay awake despite not being given any potions. She didn't want to talk to her mother. She didn't want her crying while holding her and stroking her hair.

The ordeal was short and scarring, but not nearly what it could have been. They were simply used as bait. The real danger was for Harry and everyone knew it. Ginny's eyes had long run out of tears, but she couldn't help sob dryly. It was their fault. No one was completely sure what had happened or why, but they did know that because of their capture, Harry had willingly gone to Voldemort.

'Did he say anything to you?' McGonagall pressed, she tried to make calm and supportive but Ginny could tell she was absolutely desperate to understand what had happened.

'No,' Ginny said quietly, 'he wouldn't even look at me,' she said. Ginny looked away from McGonagall, her mother was sitting with Ron, cradling his sleeping face, 'it-it's- it's like he knew,' she said in a voice that wasn't her own, 'it was our fault. My fault. Ron and Hermione weren't even supposed to be there.

'No, shh,' McGonagall said supportively, taking Ginny's hand in her own, 'this was not your fault-'

'But I should have known!' Ginny cried, 'I should have seen through it! H-he's used me as bait before a-a-and Harry… he…' Ginny stopped.

'This was not your fault, Ginny. Harry will be ok. He has fought Voldemort before when he was younger and now he knows more, their power rivals each other,' McGonagall said but Ginny could tell she was unsure of her words, 'but… are you sure it was Grimmauld Place?'

Ginny nodded, not looking at McGonagall.

'Why?' she asked, 'why there?'

'Oh…' McGonagall leant back from Ginny's hospital bed, 'I believe since Dumbledore's death, the property hasn't been protected. They wanted somewhere Harry could reach but only Harry, you cannot use the Fidelius charm to keep out the owner… did you see anyone else there? Was there anyone else held with you?'

Ginny closed her eyes. She wanted to stop thinking. She didn't want any of it to have happened; she wanted to wake up from a nightmare. Her body still ached from the Cruciatus Curse and when she closed her eyes, Voldemort's image was seared into the darkness. She couldn't escape.

'No…' she whispered, 'no… no one…i-is there anyone missing?' she asked, a shiver running down her spine.

'I…' McGonagall stopped, '…yes, Miss Weasley…'

'Who?' she asked.

'…We have not had contact with Remus Lupin for a few hours… he was out trailing Harry, he followed the three of you to Godric's Hollow, then here and Hogsmeade but he disappeared shortly afterwards… we believe Voldemort may have him…'

If Ginny had a single tear left, it would have shed then.

'B-but it's a full moon,' Ginny said.

'No, not quite,' McGonagall looked out the window, 'but he will be weakened. Remus left without informing the Order- he knew we wouldn't agree to it.'

Flashes of her former Professor now sitting alone in a room of Grimmauld Place ran through her mind. Dumbledore was now gone and Harry was… Harry was too.

'He took a twin mirror, to keep in contact with us, one of its counterparts is at Hogwarts, but we can't reach him through it.'

'You think he's ok though?' Ginny said hopefully, 'alive, yes… that's all we know…'

'B-but-'

'Miss Weasley, I think that's enough for tonight, you need to get some sleep. There will be an auror just outside the door. And don't worry, I'm going to gather the Order and we'll try to have this sort out before you wake up,' McGonagall stood up.

'Professor McGonagall…'

'Ginny, I am so sorry this has happened, but you need to take care of yourself right now. Please try to sleep. You know Harry as I do; you know he won't help Voldemort.'

Ginny was quiet.

'…Yes Professor…'

She hated being a victim. Why wouldn't they understand how easy she had gotten off? How easy they all had? It could have been longer, it could have been worse; she could be in Harry's position right now.

And as Ginny began to nod off to sleep, she wondered how much longer this nightmare and this night could last…

* * *

Harry sat silent and still in an arm chair, surrounded by half a dozen Death Eaters. They had been warned none were powerful enough or skilled enough to control Harry if he got a wand so all were tense and careful. He knew his friends had made it to St. Mungo's; Voldemort had fulfilled his part of the deal. Harry wouldn't do his, he would rather die, but at the moment, he had to keep his escape out of his mind. Harry's thoughts began to wander. 

His mind fell to a place five years ago. A conversation he had tried to push out his mind, a revelation he had tried to forget. The first time he had rescued Ginny. That time he was elated, Dumbledore had praised him. Dumbledore had explained something…

'_I speak parseltongue and for a while the whole school thought I was the heir of Slytherin.'_

'_You can speak parseltongue, Harry, because Voldemort transferred a small bit of his power into you the night he gave you that scar.'_

'_He transferred a bit of his power into me?'_

'_It certainly seems so.'_

Harry didn't speak. He turned his head slightly, looking for a way out of what he was finally understanding. He didn't want to understand.

'_He would have wanted his final Horcrux to have been something that belonged to Godric Gryffindor or Rowena Ravenclaw.'_

Nagini… she was a living Horcrux… he shared a connection with her.

'_I believe you share a connection with Voldemort. That scar connects you.'_

Harry didn't breathe.

'…_It's thanks to Regulus we have the power of Godric Gryffindor and an Agoncrux…'_

He didn't dare breathe as if to make it all real. The objects. The ones he had taken from Godric's Hollow and combined with his power.

'_They belonged to the original owner.'_

…_Godric's Hollow…_

…_A true Gryffindor…_

Harry looked at his hands, the Death Eaters were obviously aware of his movements.

'No…' Harry whispered, 'I can't be…'

'Potter,' a Death Eater entered the room and barked at him, 'now.'

* * *

Harry wouldn't look at them. He hated Voldemort more that moment then he ever had before. He was nothing but a puppet. The happiness on Ginny's face fell and Ron looked ready to punch him. The quill-portkey became heavy in his robes, he just wanted them to be free, to leave safely… this was all his fault… his stupidity for trusting Regulus and putting them safe in a house he had access to. 

'Their loyalty won't last,' Voldemort hissed to him, 'friends are a weakness, for all you're doing for them… look at how they look at you.'

'Better than how they look at you,' Harry hissed back,. Ginny began to cry, 'at least I have something.'

'No, Harry,' Voldemort said, 'you have nothing. You just can't see it now. We are more alike then you know. Ours is a high and lonely destiny.'

* * *

_AN: yay! Ok, another short one, but it's necessary. _

_I was so excited to write that scene where Harry and Voldy let Ginny, Ron and Hermione go but now I feel so bad about it. But smile because the ending is coming. Yay again!_

Prong – Thank you! Yes, it was pretty bad though… I've got to stop doing that.

Hit0 – yes, I know. Thanks for reviewing!

Sara – thanks, yea I actually started out with a different song but that one worked way better.

Jeefus – don't worry about Harry, the tables will be turned! Turned! TURNED!

La – Thanks

SpiffySquee – Me too. This one was kind of anticlimactic compared to the other one, but it's not the end yet. Thanks for reviewing!

Jayde Green – Hey, I hope you're ok with the hurricane and all, no, I'm in Italy so I can't blame my chaotic updating schedule on Rita or Katrina or anyone. You're on the same train of thought as me! I put seriously about 20 minutes of thought into whether or not the dark mark should be absorbed into Harry's skin, it sounded like such a cool thing to do. But I decided in the end it would probably just open a pointless plot hole. Reg is pretty messed up, I'm going to blame it on his mother. Harry's got to start whooping some Voldy butt soon though. Thanks for reviewing!

Trackrunner237 – thanks!

No 1 You Know – Maybe, but I posted this. Thanks for reviewing!

Shang Warrior Phoenix – It wasn't too long. I'm not too squeamish but the part with the Dark Mark bugged me. I had narrowed it down to either that or doing something with 'morsmodre' but then HP would have a dark mark and it would be weird if it was that easy to get a dark mark. Thanks for reviewing!

Sillysac – Thanks for reviewing!

Iceman 2 – Thank you, I'm honoured.

Hml.2686 – I can't wait either, it will end on a much better note than this chapter did. Thanks for reviewing!

Wind Whisperer – Thanks! Yeah, Regulus has some serious issues. I was having a really hard time to make it plausible for Harry to trust Regulus.

Lou – Thank you!

Glary8402 – Thanks!

Doesn't matter – Thanks(7)

Name Not Submitted – Thanks!

Name – Yes, I know, but thanks!

PlasmaFyre – Thank you!

TBD – Yeah, I actually switched email accounts before that chapter and my new email groups things. I was so upset to wake up and see I only had one message from the fanfiction bot but it turned out to be more than I thought. Thanks!

Tb – I'm ok with that. Thanks for reviewing!

K – Thank you

Fooboo27 – Faster than I thought too. Thanks!

Elle's Bells – Thank you!

XXRoseDawsonXX – Thank you, this whole story is too confusing though. It makes me sick trying to keep track of all this. Thanks for reviewing!

Belal - First off, yes, I do write for reviews. I've never hidden that I write solely for reviews and reviews alone- oh, and the smiles of the little ones, no, wait, that's Mary Poppins (or someone along those lines.) I'm just your average teenager with a lot to do and I should dislike taking my study period to write if no one is reading. I need to know there's a reason I'm writing. If I was just doing it for myself, like I do with some stories, I'd write a new chapter every few weeks when I'm bored and that just won't hold up in the ff world. And to your other point, no, I don't think my story sucks. I only ever impose review counts on the stories I think are good, on the ones that deserve reviews and can get them. I've got two other WIPs up right now, neither of which have "blackmail" simply because I don't invest too much in those. Actually, I wasn't sure SW would- but here we are :). You're going to absolutely hate me saying this, but: I'm glad you're so angry. Anyone willing to resort to calling any ff author 'sad and dispicable' must really have made a mark with their story. I don't think I am, I'm actually a nice person. I doubt you're going to be submitting any more reviews (feel free to though) but if you do continue reading, I hope you enjoy the rest of it. And last, but not least, thank you very much for the review. I am most appreciative, the ff counter doesn't discriminate between good or bad reviews and neither shall I. It sparks enough interest to review, that's what I care about. Oh, I forgot one. I'm desperate for reviews, yes, but it's not because no one is reading it. I didn't submit all the reviews to my own story... so I'm not quite sure where you were going with that train of thought. I think the anger at a 'sad and dispicable' person got the best of you. Thanks for reviewing!

Nomoreseverusharryslash – I did! I swear, I did! Thanks for reviewing!

Jackhea – Annyong Dear sister, I checked and I only say 'crimson' twice. Usually I make a rule to only use a word like that once in a chapter, but I wrote that in two sittings so my whole plan got messed up. Those fermented soy beans haunt my dreams… along with all my attempts at making tofu… so wrong… so, so wrong… Don't forget to take your fun-fun Jackhea.

_REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW (I'm still holding out for a certain number so..) REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW  
_

_Please and thank you._

_Cacasenno  
_


	11. Before the Veil

**Scabbed Wings**

* * *

While meetings of the Order of the Phoenix had most recently become tense social gatherings, little getting accomplished, lacking Dumbledore worry and hesitation was evident, in this early hour, as Minerva McGonagall watched her colleagues assemble, she could feel Dumbledore's presence. This was an emergency. A call to action. An event serious enough and damaging enough that there was no room for that worry or hesitation. Minerva just wished she could distance herself from it because at that moment, she was sure that she was likely the only one who had absolutely no desire to do what she had to.

That, though, was possibly because no one else yet knew what it entailed.

And she was about to tell them.

'Everyone, quiet please,' Minerva said, though it was unnecessary.

Only Arthur and Bill of the Weasleys were there, the others were presumably at St. Mungo's. Hagrid had returned, he had been marginally more successful in convincing the giants of their cause, though he was still sporting a broken jaw, he wouldn't be able to speak for another few hours until the bones mended. Minerva surveyed the other faces. A sad girl in the corner, a few tired eyes, a group of ministry aurors in their finest dress robes too.

Of course, thought Minerva, the ball. The most important members of the international wizarding community had descended upon London the previous evening for a celebration, she hadn't expected them to still be awake, but it was more than likely they had enchanted the building to ignore time in consideration of the foreign, broom-lagged guests.

They silently waited for her to speak.

'As I'm sure you all know, yesterday three students were taken hostage by Lord Voldemort, he used them as bait to get Harry to come to him,' Minerva began.

'See, I told you months ago that would have worked,' said a voice.

Minerva ignored him.

'Harry did,' she said. Eyes widened and a few people gasped, Hagrid dropped the ice he was holding to his jaw, 'he may have made a deal with Lord Voldemort because the students are released… that's really all we know… they were kept in Grimmauld Place but we believe it's protected.'

'But can't we-'

'Please,' Minerva continued, 'Remus is also there… in Grimmauld Place. He had trailed Harry to Severus's home where we lost him. About an hour ago, he contacted us with a twin mirror. He said Harry and Lord Voldemort were going to travel to the Dark Forest.'

'In Albania? What could he want there?' Arthur piped up.

'He knows more about that forest than anyone alive today,' Kingsley said, 'he could be practicing magic there that the Unspeakables have only read about.'

'But why Harry? What could he do there?' said Bill.

'I have a suspicion,' Minerva said, 'Ollivander never produced an heir, instead, he took Lily Potter as an apprentice. I can't be sure, but if she finished her training before she died, the legacy may have been passed to Harry.'

'So Harry's going to open a wand shop with Voldemort? I don't understand,' Bill's desperation to find out what was worth his siblings was becoming angry.

'The Wandmakers do more than that,' Kingsley said, 'they are the ones who control how magic flows. They don't actually put any in the wands, that all comes from the wizard, but they have the ability to control how it's channeled.'

'They can make people more powerful?' Bill said.

'No, no one can, but they can take the limits and restrictions off someone's power-' Minerva began.

'The dementors!' a ministry auror said.

'Yes, Voldemort is currently using the dementors and he can't do that and still keep his own power, when they were under Ministry control, it was a huge effort. Because they are powerful magical life forms, like those used in wands, they will channel magic. They've been dying recently. When Harry lit the bookshelves on fire a month ago, that temporarily balanced it. I'm assuming Voldemort needed to know whether Harry was actually powerful enough to balance his own.'

'So if Harry did inherit his mother's legacy, he would be able to make it possible for Voldemort's power to become infinite?'

'But there would still have to be a balance.'

Minerva looked in the direction of the speaker.

'Yes, I had thought about that… and… I believe it would be Harry… that way, Voldemort could use his power too,' Minerva said sadly.

'I don't get it-' Bill began.

'All you need to know is that it's bad!' Tonks yelled in a rare outburst from her corner of the circular room, 'Voldemort is powerful. Harry is powerful. Harry could make Voldemort much, much more powerful. That would be bad. Okay?' her face was paper while, Minerva had forgotten about her personal attachments to Remus.

'Well I-'

'Silence!' said McGonagall as though they were students, 'and we cannot forget that Remus is still out there somewhere,' she paused, 'as for Harry… we don't know anything about how he made the deal… how willing he was-'

Hagrid slammed his fist against the table, his eyes blazing at the idea of Harry helping Voldemort.

'I don't like the idea either, but we have to be prepared,' Minerva said, 'from what I've heard from the Godric's Hollow house elves and Hermione Granger, I believe he may have combined himself with ancient artifacts, creating something called an Agoncrux.'

Most faces were blank, obviously never having heard the term before. Even Minerva barely remembered it from a quiet and fugitive conversation with her Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor more than fifty years ago.

'…T-there are specific ways to… d-destroy someone with an Agoncrux,' Minerva said in a shaky voice.

There was a pause.

'Destroy Harry?' Tonks said, looking up, 'what do you mean?'

'I-I mean if Harry has decided to help Voldemort under his ow-'

'He hasn't!' Bill yelled. Hagrid looked bewildered.

'I completely agree,' Minerva said honestly, 'but we must be prepared, just in case,' Minerva agreed with all the scandalized members. If she heard someone speaking about Harry like she was, she would have been angry too.

No one objected this time. She pulled a scrap of yellowed paper from her robes, upon it were scribbled all she could gather about Agoncruxs in the hour.

'Avada Kedavra would work, but it would be difficult and this is Harry Potter, we really don't know how protected he still is against that particular curse. Beyond that, it looks like the natural magical defense we all have is stronger in people who have made an Agoncrux a-and the only sure thing would be destroying his ph-physical body.'

She stopped. She could tell by the looks on everyone's faces, no one was likely going to be stabbing him. Minerva was perversely and inexplicably relieved at this.

'But, of course, this is Harry and I doubt he would ever help Lord Voldemort. Likely, he's doing all this against his will… I… well… Kingsley could you contact the Minister and inform him of all this?' Minerva said. He nodded and left, 'some of us should stay behind, incase they use the opportunity to attack, others will need to accompany me to Albania. We should have the upper hand as Voldemort will not travel in the open.'

As the group split up and Kingsley brought back word that the Ministry had decided to lock down its buildings, Minerva wondered if any of this could actually work. It was one of this impossible moments when one is both completely alone and so deeply entrenched in problems, it becomes impossible to see the ending.

* * *

They had portkeyed so easily. Harry knew Voldemort was fond of the simplicity and power of portkeys. Would anyone suspect it? Yes, there were supposed to be boundaries and laws and regulations, but hadn't Voldemort overcame them easily before?

Time was running out.

Voldemort had taken Harry to the Dark Forest by portkey, as Harry approached the clearing he had not seen for months, he saw masked Death Eaters already ahead, waiting for them. Harry shivered. The clearing was now cold and covered in a thin frost; the first rays of silvery sunrise had shone through the trees and lit the frozen ground.

_Ollivander!_ The idea his Harry with such force, he should have cared. But he didn't. He had always liked his scar before, but with what he realized before they left, its sting betrayed him. He didn't care anymore. There was nothing and no one left for him.

He had to be the missing Horcrux. The only question left was, did Voldemort know? Not that it mattered. The feelings of hopelessness suffocated him. If he managed to kill Voldemort, a piece of him would live on in hibernation in Harry, when Harry died, what then? Would his body be used again as a puppet by the Dark Lord?

_Ollivander!_ His mind screamed again at the miserable and disheartened Harry. So what? Would Ollivander help him? Could he?

The moss, and ice, covered cabin was directly ahead of them. Harry glanced quickly at Voldemort, did he already know? Harry remembered how Regulus could not see it, but he was no longer with Regulus.

'Reveal it,' Voldemort said as they paused in front of the cabin.

Harry didn't move. But what was left to do… it was all over anyway…

The moments became pressured seconds.

'If you're waiting for the old Wand Maker to show up…' a Death Eater approached Harry and let Ollivander's lifeless body fall at his feet. He was still wearing the richly made robes; nothing was left under his tired face, unmistakably dead.

This destroyed any hope Harry had of escape. Everything became real. There truly was nothing left.

_It will be over soon,_ perhaps it was the influence of the forest, his helplessness, or the feelings he had been left with after last seeing his friends. But Harry gave up. He slowly, cautiously, let the door to the building swing open, it glimmered for a moment, and Harry stood to the side as Voldemort entered. He had failed.

He waited for a moment before following, standing just inside the door. He saw it was the same. The scale, the blue fire, the silken veil fluttering in an unknown wind…

He had seen a veil like that before.

Feelings of something too weak to be hope but too strong to be fear bubbled within Harry. He neared it as Voldemort studied the scale. He stepped down to near it. He heard the veil's hiss, its whisper… someone's whisper.

'…remember… what was it for… remember… everything…'

Harry didn't move. He knew that voice. But… how?

'…Sirius?' Harry whispered.

There was no reply. Harry looked back, Voldemort was watching him. Of course he had seen, what did Harry expect?

'There's one last thing you need to do,' Voldemort said.

Harry was stronger now, he didn't know why, but he was, 'No,' he stepped away from the pit to level Voldemort, 'I won't help you anymore.'

'Harry, you forget, we had a deal,' Voldemort said quite simply, as though he expected this, 'an _honorable_ Gryffindor going back on his word?'

Harry ignored him, 'I won't let you do this.'

'I was hoping…' Voldemort said, 'not to have to do this…'

A Death Eater entered the cabin on Voldemort's signal, he half-dragged, half-carried Ollivander's body… no… it wasn't Ollivander's body. This unconscious man was dressed in shabby robes. He fell hard on the floor; Harry could feel life in him as his head lolled towards Harry.

Lupin…

'Destroy the balance.'

Harry couldn't look away from Remus Lupin.

* * *

_AN: sorry for the shortness. A cookie to everyone who reviewed and an extra for Potter and the Weasley for catching a reference. THANK YOU ALL!_

_REVIEW!_


	12. It Ends

**Scabbed Wings

* * *

**

The lights blinked off. Then on again. And off. Then, all at once, all the glass in all the lights, bottles and lenses burst so fine it filled the air with sand. In every home in England. In every home in Europe. Both magical... and muggle.

But even the magical homes had no idea what could have caused this, what had the power to do so. In fact, possibily the only place that may suspect the cause had busied themselves with calming party guests. The British Ministry of Magic, home to the Department of Mysteries, was protected in a pocket of time and space that cushioned the event but didn't protect them.

The look on the faces of the party planners was a mixture of surprise and horror as every delicate crystal glass full of rare liquors burst, staining satin dress robes, and the elaborate chandeliers seemed to explode, the largest shards of glass raining on the party guests and cutting thier shoulders and cheeks the same.

At the Ministry of Magic, in thier ballroom, the most powerful political figures in the world of magic began to panic. A flurry of shield charms were shot into the air at non existent attackers and the aurors guarding the event jumped into action... except... there was no dark wizard on the premises to subdue.

Murial Small, head event coordinator, also jumped into action with auror-like reflexes. He bound to the small platform for the band and speakers. Before him, he saw chaos. The torches exploded with flame and the false sunset that had been playing dusk for hours outside the glass walls of the Ministry ballroom defied it's charm and lit the wall with piercing, platinum light before flashing into darkness. The torches died in an instant.

"We're under attack!" yelled a shrill voice.

"Sonorus," whispered Murial, "lumos, lumos, lumos, lumos," he lit each corner of the room, others too threw balls of light into the sky and the entire room was bathed in a pale glow.

"Please, everyone, be calm," Murial said to the group. It did nothing.

Murial heard the aurors talking to Scrimgeor, "We can't find anyone. There's no one here."

"Just a glitch everyone," Murial continued, "there's no one here. We're not under attack. Just stay calm, no need to panic. Everything is fine."

The guests began to quiet and paused to listen to him, wands still in hand though. Murial eyed terrified dates and body guards shielding thier handlers.

"Nothing to worry ab-" Murial was cut off.

"Is that the party planner?"

"Get out of here, get an auror up there!"

"Where's someone who knows what they're talking about?" the crowd and Ministry officials began angrily.

Murial felt hands pull his robes and push him off the stage. Scrimgeor and some aurors took his place as Murial was tossed on the marble floor. He felt shards of glass pierce the palms of his hands. This was his show. _He _would be the one to figure out what was going on.

He cut a sharp line through the anxious crowd. At the door out of the room, where the suspended time bubble ended, Murial raised his wand. He muttered the password to disable the automatic locking system and slipped out the door.

He ran down the hallway, which had been bewitched to ease the transition between the fake euphora of the ballroom and the real world. It was now empty. He could hear voices ahead of him, they sounded awed.

Murial rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks. His heart stopped.

The huge glass windows looking out over the real London showed a bizarre and terrifying scene. Night had burst into ferious, growling storms in the broken blood and blue sky, ripped sharply between dozens of bolts of lightning. Clouds rolled on themselves and a thick mist drifted through the streets, flooding over the tops of the buildings.

"Sweet Mother of Merlin..." Murial whispered.

Aurors ran past him. Scrimgeor arrived a moment later, stopping where Murial had.

"Get every soldier we have," Scrimgeor whispered to an auror. Murial could feel the power of his words as fear coiled in the pit of his stomach.

One of the other party planners arrived at his side, he was a civil servent too. Murial needed to do his job and protect the people.

"Get every bottle of wine we have... and serve it to the guests," he whispered to the assistant. He had vowed to serve even in times of fear and emergency.

If Murial understood exactly how dire the situation was however, he likely would have gone to spend those precious moments with his family.

--

Harry felt sick. He clenched his jaw. What had he done, he thought helplessly. What had he just let loose on the world. The midnight sky around the clearing in the forest had turned an eerie shade of red. Voldemort stood a few meters away inspecting his own hands and forarms as blue magic traveled up and and crisscrossed his pale skin.

Harry hated himself more than he hated Voldemort at that moment. Except even his notion of hate was dulled by the realization he was the last Horcrux. Life felt so pointless and painful then. Why should he even care anymore? How could this be real? Not just a cruel joke, with every twist getting worse and worse.

He wanted it all to end.

Guilt slowly twisted his insides. People needed him and he had given up. It was the moment of truth, the last stand and he had stopped caring. How had he forgotten what it was all for? Why everything had built up to this moment. And how much had been sacraficed for him.

"We take the Ministry now, while they're still blind, everything will fall after that. We will have Hogwarts by noon, Europe at dusk."

_Hogwarts..._

"No," Harry spoke.

Voldemort turned to look at him. A smile spread across his face. The Death Eaters began to laugh.

"Harry," Voldemort said, "you've already failed."

"No," Harry repeated.

"My power is infinate now. And you will become weaker each time I use it until your heart doesn't even have the energy to beat and you will die."

A shiver ran through Harry's body. He didn't know that.

"No," he said once more for lack of anything else to reply.

Voldemort laughed. He waved his hand lazily and Harry was thrown backward powerfully, his ribs cracked and pierced his skin as he collided with a tree and he fell to the ground like a rag doll.

Harry groaned, burning pain echoing around his body and the frosted ground numbing his cheek. He willed open his eyes to see.

"Take him back to Grimmauld Place. Leave him alive enough to know what he has done," Voldemort said to three of his Death Eaters before he and the rest disappeared.

One of the three Death Eaters approached Harry and lifted him by his hair. The Death Eater took off his mask. Fenir Greyback. Harry gritted his teeth as the werewolf licked his sharpened teeth. The other two Death Eaters too removed thier masks. Regulus and Wormtail.

Harry saw out of the corner of his eye Lupin beginning to move. He caught Wormtail's gaze. The guilt and the pain and the anger and the sorrow came away and was replaced with white hot rage. Some limit within him broke and Harry felt his body fill with more power than even he had ever known before.

His broken bones knit stronger than before and the pain was absorbed then added to the power. He grabbed Greyback's wrist. The werewolf felt his skin burn beneath his sleeve and let go of Harry. Instantly realizing his mistake, he grabbed his wand but Harry was too quick for him.

He dodged Greyback's curse to face Regulus and Wormtail. Lupin had got to his knees but the Death Eaters hadn't noticed. Lupin was disarmed and looked disoriented.

"Crucio!" Regulus yelled. Harry instinctively put up his hand and without reason or warning, he stopped the curse midair. No one moved. "Crucio!" Regulus tried again. The curse stopped.

Behind him, Greyback yelled, "destruire!" Harry spun to his knees and stopped it too. He looked back at Regulus and Wormtail, Regulus had noticed Lupin stirring and was advacing towards him with his wand ready. Harry knew now they had no reason to keep Lupin alive and no instructions to do so. He had to stop them.

He concentrated on Regulus and he was thrown out of the clearing in the same way Voldemort had done to Harry only moments ago.

But he had let his guard down. It was too late. Fenir Greyback knocked him down, wand at his throat. He seemed to change his mind in an instant. He grabbed Harry by the jaw and Harry struggled and Greyback's nails cut him and teeth began to sink into his shoulder.

He felt something warm spill down his front. It smelt like blood. Greyback's bite had frozen. His blood? No. It couldn't be. There was too much. His skin was numb. He felt Greyback had gone rigid, he pulled away from his grasp. The werewolf's mouth had morphed to a silent scream as he looked down. Something was glinting in his chest.

Harry took another step backward. He saw Wormtail behind Greyback and realized in horror what the silver protruding from Greyback's chest was. Wormtail had punctured Greyback's body with his silver hand, shining fingers, covered in blood twisted and ripped Greyback's robes. Wormtail pulled his hand out of Greyback and stumbled away as Greyback fell to his knees.

Blood began to pour through Greyback's teeth. The blood turned black and it rotted his chin as it dribbled down. The rot began to spread and Greyback's skin turned gray before curling and breaking open. The silver had poisoned the werewolf and his back arched in pain on the ground beneath the red sky as he decayed-alive.

His long fingernails clawed at the ground before ripping from his graying fingers. His spine curved further than it should and he began to howl in pain. His howl became a sickening scream and his body fell limp. Dead.

Harry met Wormtail's horrified eyes.

"Traitor!" Regulus had re-emerged from the trees, "Avada kedavr-"

Lupin leapt up to Regulus and stabbed something into Regulus's shoulder. He struggled to push Lupin off of him, weakened by the moon and wolfsbane, Lupin fell back but twisted the knife and Regulus yelled and fell to his knees, a knife was stuck in his shoulder but he had managed to hold onto his wand.

"Traitor!" Regulus yelled again, though this time his wand was aimed at Lupin.

Wormtail cowered.

Blood poured from the knife wound in his shoulder to the ground.

"Avada kedavra!" Regulus pointed his wand back to Wormtail and yelled. Wormtail was dead before he even knew what had happened.

Regulus pulled the knife from his shoulder and the wound began to heal itself. Voldemort's Death Eaters were more powerful then ever, and if Voldemort's power was infinite, he had likely portioned a huge amount to each Death Eater as none would ever have the ability to challenge him.

He got to his feet, his wand on Lupin now.

"Move, and I kill him," Regulus said, "I never was fond of you Remus."

"The only ones you were ever fond of were Voldemort and your mother. Not belonging to that group is an honour," Remus said.

"Bitter, aren't we? You were always more mature then that. I suppose being betrayed by James's son will do that to you though," Regulus teased.

"Finish this, Harry," Remus said.

But Harry wouldn't sacrafice Remus's life.

"Good boy," said Regulus.

Another figure had appeared behind Regulus. As it got closer, Harry couldn't tell if it was a Death Eater or not, all he knew was that he had to leave there and stop Voldemort. It had to be a hallucination, Harry thought as he realized who the figure was.

The voice he had heard earlier in the cabin.

Sirius was there.

He must be alive.

"Sirius," Harry breathed.

Regulus whirled around to see what had distracted Harry. Sirius put a pale hand on Regulus's shoulder and looked to Harry.

"I know you can handle this, but I couldn't pass up one last battle," Sirus smiled.

Something about the way he grabbed Regulus had paralyzed him.

"You're dead!" Regulus yelled.

"I know," said Sirius.

Sirius tightened his grip on Regulus and Regulus's eyes, wide with fear, landed on Harry. Harry looked to Sirius, who was still smiling calmly.

"Come on, Brother," Sirius said, "a lot of people have been waiting for you."

Sirius grabbed Regulus's neck and forced his mouth open, something white and translucent floated out and Regulus's body crumpled to the ground. Harry wasn't sure how he knew it, but he could feel Regulus had just died. A chill ran through his body.

"You can't go," Harry said to Sirius.

"Harry, listen to me," Sirius said purposely, stepping close to Harry. Harry could feel a void where Sirius was supposed to be. He had to be some kind of ghost, "you're going to finish this. I know you're going to because I know you," Sirius spoke with a calm urgency, purposefully.

"Just st-" Harry started.

"Harry, you don't need me. You never did. But I am always with you when you think you do," he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, Harry felt his presence though he couldn't feel his hand, "kill him."

Harry nodded. Sirius smiled.

"I'm really not supposed to be here though," Sirius said mischieviously as though all he had done was sneak out past curfew, "Moony," he nodded and acknowledged Lupin. Sirius cast another look back to Harry and he began to fade into the night itself.

"Profe-" Harry began, Harry noticed Lupin was injured.

"Go, Harry."

Voldemort. Voldemort would be at the Ministry. He had to stop him.

--

The castle was eerily still.

Ginny had drifted far away though.

She had been returned to Hogwarts that night because it would be the safest place for her. She had ran there with the hundreds of others seeking refuge within it's walls since the storm had started. By then, they all knew it couldn't just be a storm and a phenomenom in nature though. This was dark magic at it's core.

Death Eaters arrived at the Ministry only hours before. None had yet been seen at Hogwarts.

She looked around the Gryffindor tower. What did they all know? Did any realize she had been a captive of Lord Voldemort less than a day before? Did any of them know this was her fault? If they did, did they not speak to her out of anger? Or out of fear?

Most, she knew though, were simply terrified. Thier families weren't in the castle, the way most of the Weasleys were. Thier families were unprotected in muggle towns, easy targets for the Death Eaters before, and now like sheep to the slaughter.

But part of her knew it wasn't yet hopeless. If it didn't then she would have dissolved already and allowed herself to spend this night crying in her mother's arms the way the child within her begged to. For it was there that none of this existed and the world would always be safe. She wouldn't have to accept the fact that this may be the end of life as she knew it.

Harry was still there.

Harry was still alive.

Harry still was a refuge for the last of her hope.

Ron was holding Hermione in an armchair. Tears were sliding down her cheeks though her face showed no emotion. They had been returned to the school still half asleep and it had been a cruel awakening when they heard what had happened.

A few students were missing from the tower. They were likely the ones whose family had found thier way to Hogwarts. The Great Hall had been fortified also and along with the four houses, the Hogwarts population waited in silence. There was nothing left to do but wait until the Ministry falls, at which time the school surely would follow.

A student renewed the lumos charm that kept the common room lit. Sound punctured the silence very suddenly, mechanical, tinny sound.

Colin Creevy had accidentally flipped his radio, he quickly shut it off as everyone stared at him angrily.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

He had been listening to a performance at the Ministry of Magic Ball. All the speeches were to be broadcast as they were public interest. Now, however, after a wizard had begged the Ministry's guests to be calm then was ousted from the stage and Rufus Scrimgeor had asked the same, the broadcast was turn off.

Ginny had distinctly heard someone whispering.

She had assumed the broadcast was off the air. But now she believed it may still be airing.

"...Turn it back on," she whispered. Everyone stared at her. Perhaps they did know she was so recently a captive of Voldemort. Colin eyed her then slowly turned the knob on his radio and it clicked on.

"No point in pretending they're not out there," Ginny justified her request to the silent but questioning eyes of Gryffindor.

"Oh, and so we can know exactly when we're going to die," Seamus said angrily.

"Seamus!" Hermione hissed. Some of the younger students looked more horrified, if possible.

"Well if we're not going to be pretending anymore, why not confront the whole truth!" Seamus yelled, the tower began to turn on it self as everyone began hissing at each other, "we're all going to die. And you're in denial if you don't think so. Dumbledore's not here anymore," Seamus said over all the voices and they fell into silence. Sobbing, blankly staring or somberly agreeing.

"...But Harry is," Ginny said quietly. Eyes flickered up to her.

She looked to Ron and Hermione. Fresh tears breached Hermione's eyes, Ron looked away angrily. He was Harry's best friend but was angry at Harry's betrayal in Grimmauld Place. Ginny knew it was just guilt on Ron's part.

She noticed more and more people looking to her. Even Seamus cast a fugitive glace in her direction. She smiled more confidently then she knew she could. She suddenly forgave all her feelings of doubt in Harry when she had seen him with Voldemort in Grimmauld place. If they did share any connection, Ginny offered every ounce of strength she had to him.

She prayed she was right.

--

Harry had again used Draco's dark mark to find Voldemort. He knew he had apparted far. The air was smoky, he heard screaming and saw the air light up with curses every few seconds. He crouched to the ground, hidden by the dense smoke. He had to be in the Ministry of Magic. As his eyes adjusted he saw overturned tables and the remains of what looked like a fancy party.

Outside the windows, the storm had broke through the enchanted sky and they now showed the weather off England. The clouds burst with lightning and rolled across the sky in a colour of deep red and black.

Harry's scar stung. Voldemort was close. He knew the aurors were there. The Death Eaters must be fighting somewhere. Did the Ministry know though that Voldemort's forces could appart to his side the way Harry had just done. They must have already broken the appartion charms. Harry got to his feet. He was still wandless, but that didn't feel like it mattered anymore.

"Stupefy," Harry said, hand raised towards a group of Death Eaters. A few slumped over, some were thrown off balance, most, however were simply pushed slightly and thier shields cracked. Now they had noticed him. Some of the aurors glanced at him. The Death Eaters stopped and Voldemort too turned his gaze from his duel with Scrimgeor to Harry.

He had more Death Eaters. The aurors were severly out numbered and there were guests too, hiding behind tables and in corners of the room. Some looked injured and a few weren't moving. Voldemort's looked insane with power, it coursed through his face too. Harry felt Voldemort's mind, the connection between them. This was a game to the Death Eaters. The aurros didn't have a chance. They were taunting them.

The duels had stopped when they saw him.

"Harry, nice of you to join us," Voldemort said, "_you never disappoint,_" he hissed in parseltongue.

"This ends tonight," Harry said. The Death Eaters had now turned thier wands from thier apponents and aimed them at Harry.

"_It already has, Child, give up,_" Voldemort hissed in a teasingly soothing voice.

The aurors began trying to take advantage of the Death Eaters' distraction, but all thier spells disapated. They hadn't known how powerful Voldemort had made his servants.

"_It's not over until one of us is dead,_" Harry hissed. He was somewhat aware that his speaking parseltongue was making the already-confused aurors nervous.

"_As you wish,"_ Voldemort smiled, "Impacus!"

Harry dove out of the way as Voldemort's wand shot a huge crater into the marble floor where he was just standing. The broken chunks of marble flew at him and Harry sheilded himself wandlessly. Harry concentrated and out his wrist a curse shot towards Voldemort.

Voldemort effortlessly blocked Harry's attack.

"Crucio!" Voldemort yelled. This was more powerful then Regulus's curse before and it struck Harry in the chest. He bit through his tongue and colapsed, willing himself not to scream as pain cut him open. He twisted out of the grip of the curse.

He felt the connection with Voldemort. He predicted it. He knew Voldemort's next move.

"Protia!" Harry yelled, Voldemort's curse didn't reach Harry.

But he didn't stay ahead. Voldemort flicked his wrist at Harry and a powerful column of air twisted him off his feet and sent him backwards into a wall. Before Harry could regain his footing, Voldemort repeated the motion and Harry was sent into the glass wall. The thick, enchanted glass that hadn't been destroyed like most of the rest of the glass into Europe gave way under the force Harry was thrown with and cut at his skin and robes.

The glass didn't entirely break through. He felt his arm crack then heal itself instantly.

"Crucio!" Voldemort said again before Harry knew what was happening. The pain overloaded in his brain and his body reached a new kind of paralyzed numbness.

He felt another presence near him.

"_Finish him_," Harry heard Voldemort say in parseltongue. He lifted the curse, Harry realized he was on the ground, he rolled just in time to see Nagini poised and ready to strike above him. Her fangs dripped with poison. He shielded himself as her head plunged down to stab him with her fangs. She seemed to grow in size as they struggled. Harry grabbed the ton-snake with his hands and wrestled her head away from his neck.

One of his hands was wrapped around one of her fangs and the other clenched her slippery, scales. Harry felt the power in his veins melt through the palms of his hands, where he had gripped her skin angry gashes had appeared, showering Harry's aching body with blood, her fang slipped away from his other hand as she pulled her head backwards.

Nagini's tail whipped around and caught Harry before he got to his feet. He grabbed her skin again and more red, bleeding cuts travelled the length of her body. Nagini hissed and spat. She readied to strick once more, the rest of her body now writhering and whipping around in the pooling blood.

Harry held his palms up before she could strike him and blue magic shot like daggers from his wrists, wrapping around the snake and forcing her to the ground. Nagini stopped struggling and lay unmoving on the ground. Voldemort no longer looked happy. He now held a horrible look of fury directed at Harry, who forced his fear away from the surface. There was no time.

"Kill him," Voldemort was finished playing games.

Every Death Eater raised thier wands at Harry, but Harry was now prepared. He knew what he was dealing with and wouldn't underestimate them again. He also wouldn't risk Avada kedavra though. He dodged every curse then raised his arms, palms facing outward, the blue magic danced around his fingers for moments before exploding and expanding, sending each Death Eater flying and temporarily stripping them of their magic.

It was now Harry and Voldemort.

More marble around Harry shot up, filling the air with dust again.

"_Uccidere!_" Voldemort hissed, ancient and dark magic only spoken in parseltongue.

Harry couldn't dodge this one, it filled the air and began to choke the air from his lungs.

"Possos," Harry choked, Voldemort's wand was knocked away from him. Harry's eyes began to water as his throat begged for air, Harry aimed his hand rigid at Voldemort.

Voldemort grasped his chest where Harry was trying to send a curse at him.

"_Occulus!_" Voldemort yelled.

Harry's vision clouded black. He couldn't breathe or see. He began to feel dizzy from the lack of air. Harry could still sense Voldemort. He felt Voldemort's power in his own mind. He forced it backwards, away from him.

Harry gasped a wheezing, choking breathe as he forced the curse away from his own throat and spots of colour began to dissolve the blackness of his sight.

He did the same, now, but with his hands. He felt Voldemort's power. He used his own to force it away from the old wizard.

This had to end then.

"Immobilius Spiritus," Harry said using a powerful variation of the body bind, trapping Voldemort in a bubble of his own power.

For the first time, Harry saw what looked like a spasm of fear go across Voldemort's face.

Voldemort released all the curses he currently held, he knew it was the only way to free himself, the aurors were able to stand. The doors to the Great Hall were able to open as the Order of the Phoenix rushed in.

"_Arri-_" Voldemort began.

"Avere!" Harry yelled. Harry forced Voldemort's power from his body and into his own. But it was too much. Voldemort was still too powerful and the effort was weakening Harry, "slisus!"

Voldemort's skin began to bruise black as the veins under it's surface began to corrode. Harry used this oppertunity to try and absorb more of Voldemort's power.

"Crearae," Voldemort said, stopping Harry without bothering to repair his own body.

But it was a mistake. The magic that had coursed through his veins was now radiating away from him, out of his skin and into the air. He was rapidly loosing power. Harry saw what might be his only chance.

"_Leave_," he hissed, "_leave and never come back and I'll let you live._" Harry whispered. Voldemort knew he was loosing his magic more quickly than it could be regenorated.

"_One of us will kill tonight_," Voldemort hissed.

"Leave," Harry repeated in English. He knew the Order had arrived and the aurors were conscience again. He had subdued the Death Eaters already and now Voldemort was on his last life.

"One of us needs to kill," Voldemort repeated, his voice was beginning to fail.

"Leave, disappear," Harry wasn't giving him a choice.

Voldemort eyed Harry. He saw his own hands and arms, which once were entwined with power, now were black with blood bubbling through his skin. He gave a small nod. Harry looked around at the Death Eaters, Aurors, Ball Guests and the Order.

Had he just made a huge mistake? Voldemort hadn't taken the bait?

Without warning, Voldemort aimed his wand at Harry, "Avada Kedavra!"

The curse hit Harry's arm.

No one took a breath. Voldemort smiled icily. Harry was frozen for a moment, still standing before his body would fall.

But then... his body didn't fall... Harry looked down at where the curse hit him. The green light had cut his robes and now danced on his skin. His gamble paid off. He looked at Voldemort with a small smile, suddenly a look of pure terror flashed across Voldemort's face. He realized his mistake. He met Harry's eyes.

"_One of us dies tonight,_" Harry whispered.

The green light continued to dance on Harry's skin, then it slithered down his arm and wrapped itself around his forearm and hand the way Voldemort's had done before. Voldemort said nothing. The magic surged from Harry's hand and shot back into Voldemort's wand. There was a moment of silence, then, the very air seemed to explode.

The glass windows that had now survived two events were blown apart. Storms outside roared. The marble floors around Harry and Voldemort cracked. Even the lumos charms in the sky flooded the room and bathed it in yellow light.

Chaos fell to calm. The glass rested on the outside ground. The lumous charms disappeared. The sky drifted into a placid lavender hue and the clouds dissolved to show a gently rising sun. The dust from the marble began to settle in the Ministry of Magic's Ballroom. Every auror, Order Member and able-Party Goer raised thier wands and aimed them at the centre of the room where the duel had taken place.

The dead snake, now coated in a paste of dust and blood. Then the sillouettes of a body on the ground and another standing over it. The final clouds of dust fell to reveal seventeen year old Harry Potter standing over the fallen body of Lord Voldemort.

It was Scrimgeor who first moved forward. He had been forgotten in the attack.

Scrimgeor kept his wand on Voldemort's body. He looked at Harry for a moment. The aurors kept their wands on Voldemort. Then, the Order came forward, except, they had thier wands trained on Harry. He watched them confused then caught Minerva McGonagall's eye. She lowered her wand, as did every other member of the Order.

Harry nodded. Scrimgeor opened his mouth to say something to the young victor, but Harry disappeared from the scene in an instant.

--

In the clearing of the Dark Forest of Albania, the sun there too was rising. Harry felt a stone sit heavy in his stomach as he approached the cabin. He took a deep breath before walking in. Harry wasn't sure what he was expecting to see, but he was nonetheless surprised.

Remus Lupin was inside reading an ancient-looking tome. He seemed so impossibly calm. Harry wasn't calm. He was so far from it, he drifted in a slight daze.

"Harry," Lupin said, seeing him, "...Voldemort?"

The duel had finished less then a minute ago. Harry hadn't even had the courage to think about the result, let alone say it. But now, in the presence of one of the few people in the world he trusted, he finally felt the victory he was supposed to.

"I-I killed him," Harry said.

But the victory didn't take away his sadness.

Lupin's face broke into a smile, "I thought you would... Harry?" his face fell again, seeing the youth's sadness, "what's wrong? Voldemort's gone?"

"I-I killed him."

"...Harry... listen to me... you had to do it."

"...That's not it... I killed him... but he would still exist in me..."

"...The horcrux?"

Harry made no motion to deny or confirm it.

"I-I should fix this before he r-returns," Harry muttered sollomly, looking at the scales. The book Remus had been reading read "Balance" on the front in Latin, "d-do you kn-"

"Harry."

Harry looked at Lupin.

"He's not coming back," Lupin stated smiling.

"...But I'm the final horcrux and I'm still alive, I-"

"Harry, do you remember what destroys Voldemort?" Lupin asked.

Harry didn't say anything. First, it had been love, and then again. Most recently it had been forgiveness that destroyed him. Harry had remembered he learned the power of forgiveness was infinite and thus why a life debt was eternally binding. When Harry forgave Voldemort and showed him mercy, he had shown his love of any life was more powerful then his desire to destroy, it was the only thing that could kill Voldemort for it was the only power he could never harness.

"Love?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry, love."

"So?"

"Do you really think any piece of his soul could exist in you if you have love?"

"... I-I-"

Lupin nodded.

A weight lifted off of Harry's shoulders. The victory was real. Voldemort was gone. He would never come back. He would never again be able to hurt Harry or the people he loved. He had been killed. His parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, what they had been fighting for had finally been achieved.

Harry felt the rising sun through the window warm his cheek. Inside he felt warm and whole for the first time since Dumbledore's death.

"It's over?" Harry asked, daring to let a smile cross his face.

"It's over."

"I think I know how to destroy the last horcrux for sure too," Harry said. He would do it after resetting the balance in the cabin.

--

It was a celebration uncomparable to anything that had happened in the last 16 years. The Creevy radio had gotten official confirmation that Harry Potter had destroyed Voldemort fifteen minutes before, and ten minutes earlier the Gryffindor tower was allowed to be open again. There was even more crying now then before, though now there were tears of happiness.

Ginny had remained in her armchair, curled up with a smile and now a bottle of butterbeer. All of the world's magical population was celebrating at that moment. By 1 o'clock in the morning, word had reached the Americas, Africa and Asia of the emergency in England and they knew thier fate would be decided too.

But she didn't really care at that moment what had been riding on Harry. All Ginny cared about was seeing him again, no celebration would ever match that and she couldn't be truely happy again until they were together again. She saw that the party had spilled out of the Gryffindor common room and into the halls of Hogwarts. Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and even Slytherins were celebrating in the halls and the Gryffindor common room.

They were crying and drinking and swapping Harry-rumours. Ginny sighed and then she felt her heart flutter. That connection that couldn't be decided to exist or not sparked up. She felt someone behind her. Ginny craned in her chair but saw no one.

"Shh," she heard a voice in her ear, "I want to talk to you."

Harry's voice. She felt an invisible hand take her hand and lead her from the common room and carefully out through the hall. It was too crowded for anyone to notice or care about an invisible being pushing past them. Harry led her down a hall further away and out a door to a secluded corner of the lawns where they were finally insulated from the celebrations.

The invisibility cloak slid off Harry's shoulders. Ginny threw her arms around him, her eyes brimming with tears and she buried herself in his neck. He smelt like blood, sweat and dirt. But it was more perfect than anything she could have imagined.

"Harry," she cried.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered in a strangled voice to her.

"No, Harry..." she snifled, "I was so worried."

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that... I-I'll never let it happen again..."

"Harry... no... it wasn't your fault," she didn't care about Voldemort catching her anymore. It was over. It didn't matter. He had to be crazy to think she blamed him in the least, "Harry it's over. It's all over. You did it."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"It's all over."

"Yes, Harry," she kissed his cheek. More tears had started to fall from her eyes. Harry pulled away from her, "Harry?"

He took a step back, not looking at her. She could sense he was anxious.

"Harry, what's wrong? What is it?"

He took a deep breath and met her eyes. His green eyes looked terrified. Ginny was scared. What had happened. Why did this happiness have to end. Then, Harry took another step away from her... then he took a step down... on one knee...

"Harry..." she didn't risk think it.

"Ginny... I love you more than I thought I ever could love someone and you're the only one on this Earth and in this universe I want to spend the rest of my life with. I know we're young, but I can't imagine ever finding anyone I love as much as I love you and I know I'd never want to even look. Ginny," he took another deep breath, "will you marry me?"

She couldn't even speak. Ginny nodded her head, crying more, "yes," she whispered, "yes!" she said again, gathering her voice. Harry jumped to his feet and grabbed her by the waist, picking her up and spinning her around. Ginny screamed with happiness.

It was too perfect.

He had proposed.

They were going to get married.

Voldemort had been destroyed and he had asked to marry her.

She never wanted this happiness to end. She never wanted the moment to end because nothing could be as perfect as it was then. Harry, smelling like a fight, the ground sparkling with shards of the weaker Hogwarts windows and was soaked from the storm. The sun was now high in the air adn there was a pink haze that cast a rose glow over the grounds.

Inside the castle, she heard the party get louder, but they stayed there longer.

When they finally did go back in, it was no longer just students celebrating. Hogsmeade and every surrounding town had made thier way to Hogwarts. Even the ghosts and house elves were dancing in the halls.

Ginny noticed Harry was shly trying to hide his face but he was doing an abysmal job of it and within moments of entering the castle again the crowds had begun surging towards him. He clutched Ginny close to him and she was glad because if not, they would have been definately torn apart by the overly exciting crowd.

"Harry!" Ginny heard Hermione scream. She flung herself and Ron through the crowd and threw her arms around Harry. Even Ron looked like he was about to cry. Ginny had forgotten just how close to this they were. Ron and Hermione had been there with Harry for the last seven years, through the worst of Voldemort and Harry. They were a team that kept Harry alive and giving him his first real friendships. The first people he knew to trust.

Harry and Ron wrestled with it for a moment before throwing thier arms around each other in a hug. Ginny stood with Hermione, still crying but not sure why anymore. The crowd was begging Harry to tell them what had happened. He said over and over that he was tired. Ginny blushed and clutched his arm. She didn't care how he had done it. She was just happy he was back and safe now.

They were in the entrance hall when Ginny spotted Hagrid cutting a huge and possibly dangerous path in the students, knocking some over and picking up Harry four feet off the ground in a huge. His jaw was broken and wired shut be he was still trying to say something to Harry. Ginny could tell Harry was genuinely glad to see Hagrid.

When he was put down, Professor McGonagall had arrived and the crowds were now giving them a small, but precious, birth.

She held out her hand for Harry to shake, "Harry," she said, "I knew you could do it."

"...Thank you," he said.

"Sirius would be proud," she whispered. Tears now in her eyes.

Hagrid tried to add something that sounded a little bit like "and so would Lily and James."

"Please follow me," she said to Harry, speaking to him like an equal. He did as did Ginny, Ron and Hermione into the private, teachers' chambers.

Inside the largest, Ginny saw the Order of the Phoenix and her own parents. They all jumped into congratulations, and some mild scolding at a gamble Harry apparently made. Harry was told he would be recieving the Order of Merlin First Class.

Then she and Harry made her way to Ginny's parents.

Ginny's mum hugged Harry and whispered something in his ear. Mr. Weasley held out his hand. Harry shook it and Ginny's dad patted his shoulder.

"Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, I need to tell you something," Harry said.

Mrs. Weasley nodded, she was crying. It had to be contagious.

"Well, we, I, er," Harry cleared his throat, "I proposed to Ginny."

She clutched his arm, watching her parents faces. They both grew into smiles.

"Harry, we couldn't ask for a son-in-law better than you," said Mr. Weasley, "we'd be proud to have you as a son."

"Oh, Ginny..." Ginny's mum threw her arms around both of them, "my baby is grown up. And Harry," she sobbed into Harry's shoulder, "we're happy for you."

Ron had approached them, he had before been with Hermione talking to Charlie, Fred, Bill and George. Now all the brothers approached them.

"What?"

"I proposed," Harry said to Ginny's brother's in one breath.

"We're going to be brothers!" Ron yelled. He grabbed and half-hugged Harry then kissed Ginny on the cheek.

Ginny blushed as the twins approached Harry, "You take care of her. She's our only little sister. If you think Voldemort was a challenge, you don't want to deal with us if you break her heart."

"Don't worry about it," he said.

Charlie and Bill offered thier congratulations.

Ginny kissed Harry on the cheek. He kissed her back. He smiled. She had missed his smile. It had been so elusive since Voldemort's return and now it was her who got to see it. It would always be her from then on that got to see Harry's smile.

Voldemort's body was burned the next day. All artifacts and his possessions were held in the Department of Mysteries. His Death Eaters didn't regain thier power, so dependant of Voldemort had they recently become that when he died, they were left barely squibs and were trialed before being sent to Azkaban.

Severus Snape was found dead less than a week later. The cause of death was found to be poison, but no one had yet been able to prove whether he had ingested it purposefully or not. Regulus Black was also found dead, but since he had already died, and for various other reasons, he was not mourned.

Harry was awarded the Order of Merlin First Class. He and Ginny decided to marry in the summer.

--

Murial surveyed the damage. Millions of galleons of it. Thousands of hours of charm work destroyed too. He could have cried. The light-yet-rich desserts he had choosen for the Ministry Ball now smeared the floor and the whole room smelled of the the antique champagne served.

This could have made or broke his career! The most important contract in history!

Who's fault was this? Murial wondered angrily, crushing a ruined finger sandwich in his fist. Harry Potter! That's who! Damn kids! Never understand a day's work! And not only that, he was being rewarded for his destruction of a perfectly nice party. Didn't Potter understand it would have been much more impressive _and_ much more appriciated if he could have taken care of Voldemort without disturbing the party? Now _that_ would have been a real feat!

He saw a broken piece of wand laying in some of the rubble. It must be a piece of Voldemort's wand. Murial picked it up. He could feel it's power.

That was it.

He would get revenge on potter.

With the splinter of a wand in his hand, Murial got on the platform.

"I will revenge my party, Potter," Murial began to cackle and waved the piece of wood around.

A lone janitor sweeping up glass looked up at the confused event coordinator, "Murial... go home..." the janitor said and continued to sweep.

Murial stopped cackling. He looked around suspiciously then slyly pocketed the splinter.

He would extract it's power! The wand of Voldemort must have power!

Unfortunately, the Unspeakables had cleaned up anything of interest already and Murial was fugitively protecting a piece of chair that had broken off when it had been sat on by one of the more portly Forgien Policy Ministers.

There was very little power in that piece of chair. Murial was to have a lot of difficultly basing his revenge on Harry Potter, now unanimously granted the unofficial bragging rights to Most Powerful Wizard, on the power found in a piece of chair.

Murial did not live happily ever after.

--

**AN: Io ho finito! J'ai fini! Me be finished! We had some fun times though... remember PartChair!Harry, fermented soy beans, an odd thing with Codfish, me not updating for a few months. But now it's come to the end. Thanks to all the reviewers. I'll pm or email reply to anyone who wants to ask questions and so on and so forth (still trying to figure out the new system, this is what happens when you disappear for a few months.) BYE! smily face**

**ps. I may still do an epilogue, I haven't decided yet. There are a few loose ends that I might feel better about if I tie up.**

022606 -EDIT My rather pointless invention of the "Avera Kedravra" curse, which does exactly the same thing, looks the same, and has the exact history of the "Avada Kedavra" curse was replaced with the original. Thanks, yasgur53.


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